On Feb. 23, 2020, Arbery was murdered while jogging in a neighborhood located in Brunswick, Georgia. J.R. Hughes, a South Fulton Running Partners member, decided to run 2.23 miles in May 2020 to commemorate Arbery’s life, according to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution. Ten others joined him in this quest that quickly grew beyond Georgia.

“Typically as you move further from tragedy, it grows further from the mind, but I’m encouraged people still care and people continue to come out and show support,” Hughes told the publication. “Ahmaud’s life still means something to people.”

On Sunday, a large crowd mixed with individual runners and running groups, including the one Hughes is part of, met at the Atlanta Beltline’s West End Trail around noon to run for the fifth anniversary of the remembrance run.

Arbery’s mother Wanda Cooper Jones attended the memorial event on behalf of The Ahmaud Arbery Foundation. She told The Atlanta-Journal Consitution that laundry was the last thing her son did before heading out to exercise the day he was killed by Travis McMichael, his father Greg McMichael and their neighbor William “Roddie” Bryan, who are all serving life sentences for murder and hate crimes.

“When Ahmaud left that afternoon, Ahmaud anticipated on returning home to finish his laundry,” she shared. “Instead, he never returned.”

Edward Walton, co-founder and CEO of Black Men Run, a nationwide organization dedicated to enhancing health and wellness among Black men, shared that it’s essential for social organizations to take advantage of the communities they build to be a voice for the voiceless, especially under Trump‘s presidency.

“We need to work harder and love harder for equality, and not resort to bigotry and hate,” he said. “We will make sure (Arbery’s) inadvertent sacrifice will not be forgotten.”

Shannon Booker, a runner with Movers and Pacers, expressed that the memorial run is a powerful reminder that everyone deserves to feel safe in their own community.

“People should be able to run without the fear of being shot, killed or hurt,” Booker disclosed.

Hughes has shifted his routine since Arbery’s death. Before he leaves his home now he carefully maps out every new route, keeps his wife in the loop about his whereabouts and makes sure to hit the pavement with a group for extra security.

“Ever since then, my head is on a swivel,” he admitted. “You just never know.

In 2022, the Georgia House of Representatives honored Arbery by declaring Feb. 23 as Ahmaud Arbery Day and challenged people to jog 2.23 miles to remember him, NPR reported.

Cooper Jones and the family believed in the power of community and coming together to run in the name of something greater.

“Thank you for continuing to run with Ahmaud,” she said as the runners set off on their 2.23 miles.