Rachael Horton had a gift for persuasion, family members remember, along with a compassionate heart and a determined streak.
“If she felt like she was right about something, she would see it through,” her father, Wendell Johnson, said, standing near Amazement Square in Lynchburg on Monday.
Horton’s memory helped rouse about 230 people to participate in the first annual Rachael’s Paws and Purrs 5K & 10K race Labor Day morning.
Proceeds will benefit the Rachael Horton Compassionate Care Fund, which pays for treatments for pets who might otherwise be euthanized, according to event organizer Teresa Proffitt.
Staff and others connected to the Gentle Care Animal Hospital in Forest created the fund after Horton and her husband, Aaron, died in a Lynchburg apartment fire in April. Horton worked as a veterinary assistant at the animal hospital for nearly seven years and always wanted to help families who lacked money to pay for services.
Runners and walkers began near Amazement Square and followed the Blackwater Creek trail.
The 5K winner, Ryan Webb, finished with a time of 18:36, while Jordan Whitlock, the 10K winner, finished in 37:34.
A number of dogs also completed the race, including chocolate lab Gracie, who finished the 5K with her owner, Heritage High School teacher Michele Wisskirchen.
Wisskirchen said she ran to honor Aaron, a former student, and out of concern for families who can’t afford emergency care for their pets. She also enjoyed the chance to bring her dog.
“If she sees me grab my running shoes, she pretty much starts doing back-flips,” she explained, as Gracie sat panting near the finish line.
Rachael and Aaron’s parents all turned out for the event, as did many other family members. Rachael’s mother Kathie Morgan reminisced about the time Rachael talked her into adopting a rescued cat, despite her reservations.
Even now, Horton remains a persuasive voice, her hopes carried by new messengers.
“It’s just a very sobering thought that your child makes such an impression on people,” Morgan said. “I’m blown away that her dream has taken shape like this.”
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