Middletown Soldier Killed In Iraq War Honored In 5K Run/Walk Sunday

HOLMDEL, NJ — The seventeenth annual “Run with Dennis” 5K will be this Sunday, November 5 at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel.

“This year, we selected our Vietnam veterans to honor at our annual event," said Marion Zilinski, mother of the late Lt. Dennis Zilinski, the Middletown young man who was killed while serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq in 2005.

"These men and women deserved a proper homecoming and did not get one," she said. "My husband, Dennis, is also a Vietnam veteran, and he was our late son’s inspiration to serve our country.”

Zilinski was 23 years old when he was killed in Iraq by a roadside bomb. Zilinski grew up in Middletown and he swam on the varsity swim team for Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft. He went on to graduate in 2004 from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

After graduation from Ranger School, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was deployed to Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division on September 17, 2005. On November 19, 2005, only two months into his deployment, Zilinski was killed by a roadside bomb that went off near Bayji, 155 miles north of Baghdad.

His parents continue to live in Middletown and they work to keep Dennis' memory alive, and educate others about the ultimate sacrifice he made to the United States of America.

"As you know, the departure of the last American troops from South Vietnam occurred in 1973," said his mother. "Their scars of war have lasted a lifetime, and it’s only fitting during this 50-year-anniversary that we recognize their sacrifices and give them special gratitude for their service."

The Vietnam Era Museum and Educational Center will be open after the run. To sign up for the 5K run/walk, go to RunwithDennis.org, or register the day of the event beginning at 7:45 a.m. Adults are $30 and participants 18 and under are $15. All funds raised at this event will be used to support wounded warriors and American soldiers serving overseas.

• 8:50 a.m.: A ceremony and tribute to Dennis and all active-duty soldiers and veterans, with a performance by The RockNRoll Chorus.
• 9:30 a.m.: Last-minute registrations and stretching for the race
• 10 a.m.: Shotgun start
• 10:10 a.m.: Walkers begin
• 11 a.m.: Awards at the post-run reception

One of the main accomplishments of the Lt. Dennis Zilinski Memorial Fund is sponsoring service dogs for disabled American veterans suffering from PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI). To date, the Zilinski fund has sponsored more than 100 service dogs.

Additionally, the Zilinski fund provides scholarships to students at Lt. Zilinski’s alma mater, Christian Brothers Academy. His parents say they are looking for high school students who embody the leadership qualities and community spirit of Lt. Zilinski.

Donations may be sent to: Lt. Dennis Zilinski, II Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 124, Adelphia, NJ 07710 or made online at www.RunwithDennis.org email: Runwithdennis@yahoo.com