New race honors girl killed in blast

WILSON, N.Y. (WIVB) - On Sunday, hundreds ran in memory of a teenager killed when her house exploded. Last month's blast destroyed the Johnson family home in the Town of Wilson.

When 14-year-old Sarah Johnson died in the tragic house explosion in Wilson, those who loved her have been looking for ways to honor her.

Sarah's track coach, Jaime Lepsch, said, "With Sarah being a phenomenal runner, a great a young lady, amazing spirit, we knew we could honor her best by showing western New York something she loved."

The first ever "iWacko Run" stepped off on Sunday, named for a term Sarah and her friends coined recording goofy YouTube videos. And the run itself was personalized to Sarah in other ways. Yellow was her favorite color and she liked to wear funky shoe laces.

Lepsch said, "We knew that this was the perfect way to honor her."

Hundreds of runners from several different communities came, including people who don't know the Johnsons.

Race winner Matt Prohaska said, "We actually brought a bus here with a bunch of kids to come out and support."

And race winner Livia Chase added, "I'm from Wilson, or I didn't know them, but I feel like I'm still representing them."

The registration fees from the nearly 600 runners will go to Johnson family. They had fun, and many even posted their best ever time.

"I'm happy. And everyone else should be happy, too. I think everyone was trying to do their best today to show we are running for Sarah," Lepsch said.