This Guy Is My Hero — Man Runs One Mile for Every Soldier Lost in Vietnam

Everybody forgets about vets -- especially Vietnam. It pisses me off that some people even say nasty things about the soldiers who served there. Not this guy. Mike Bowen of Flushing, Michigan, was stationed in Germany during the Vietnam War. When he visited the war memorial in Washington, D.C. in 1982 he was so moved he decided to do something to honor all 58,292 men and women killed or missing.

Ever since that moment, Bowen has been trying to run one mile for each of the 58,292. 31 years later he's 65 years old and close to reaching his goal. On Sept. 20 (POW Recognition Day), he'll run four miles to the D.C. memorial and be finished.

During his journey he's run 52 marathons and dozens of other races -- always carrying the black POW flag. He's run at least one mile nearly every day. Along with other challenges, he's had three knee surgeries and even battled cancer.

I think it's so amazing that he stuck to this goal for 30 years. What an achievement. I also love that he DID something to remember the vets. He used his mind, body and spirit to thank them for their sacrifice in his own way. What a hero. Young ladies, take note: this is what a real man looks like.