PRINCETON, MASS. (WHDH) - More than a thousand runners laced up at Wachusett Mountain Saturday to honor Vanessa Marcotte’s life while raising money for the foundation in her name.
The community came together to remember Marcotte on what would have been her 29th birthday. She was killed while out for a jog as she visited her parents’ home in Princeton back in August of 2016.
Marcotte’s cousin, Steve Vittorioso, called Saturday’s 5K emotional and beautiful.
“It truly does take everybody in the community to come together and rally and get through a tough time, turn it from so negative into something positive,” he said.
Participants paused for a moment of silence before the start of the race, which raised over $75,000.
Caroline Tocci, Marcotte’s cousin, called the money raised “a testament to Vanessa’s character and also her mission.”
Police used DNA evidence to track down the suspected killer, Angelo Colon Ortiz, last April.
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