On Sunday, one Connecticut family closed the chapter on a heartfelt tradition.
"It was such a great run for 15 years, it's just time for our family to move on," said race organizer Kurt Knotts.
Knotts and his family started Jamie's run in 2010 after losing their 5-month-old daughter to a rare liver tumor.
Since then, thousands of people have been running in her honor and giving back to Connecticut Children's, where Jamie was treated.
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"We've loved the support of everyone that's come out for us every year and built this into an amazing event," said Knotts.
Knotts says it was the care his family received at Connecticut Children's that inspired them to organize this event. It is also what made him quit his job and work for the hospital full time.
"Just an amazing turn of events for me. It was a new, fulfilling career," said Knotts. "I saw a change where I could really make a difference in people's lives and families' lives and raise lots of money for finding a cure for cancer and supporting families like us, who hopefully don't have to go through what we went through."
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A mother-daughter duo from Ashford has been at all 15 races together. They knew Jamie personally, and they say being at her last run was emotional.
"I was a couple years older, but we went to daycare together, and I went to Ashford Schools, so I knew Mrs. Knotts, and she was my teacher for bit. Going to this event is like I get to see so many people I know, and it's really a nice sense of community," said Lindsay Irving, of Ashford.
"I'm just really grateful to the whole Knotts family for putting this together during a painful time to bring joy into so many families' lives," said Susan, Lindsay's mother.
There was also a special, full circle moment for the Knotts' family on Sunday as Jamie Knotts' older brother finished the 5K in first place. He said he had not done that any other time.
"It was great to do this for Jamie and do it for the family," said Braeden Knotts. I know they were all so proud of me when I finished. I could see it in their eyes. It was just an amazing moment. It felt really, really powerful."
To date, Jamie's Run has raised over $600,000 for pediatric cancer at Connecticut Children's.
