The 4th annual Navy SEAL LT Michael Murphy Run Around the Lake will be held Saturday morning at Lake Ronkonkoma, in honor of the fallen Navy SEAL’s sacrifice 11 years ago.
In June 2005 Murphy and three SEALs were on a secret mission in Afghanistan to find a senior Taliban commander. Taliban fighters surrounded Murphy and his men, and a ferocious gunfight ensued. In order to call for help, Murphy climbed onto a rock in plain sight of the enemy.
The call went through—saving one of his men—but Murphy was killed.
He received the Medal of Honor for his action in 2007, becoming the first Medal of Honor recipient of the Afghanistan War.
Murphy’s father, Dan, was not surprised by his son’s heroism.
“Michael would do the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons,” Dan Murphy said. “It reflected itself on June 28, 2005, during the battle of Operation Red Wings.”
That battle was depicted in the book and 2013 movie “Lone Survivor.” In the movie Murphy wore a red FDNY patch on his right shoulder. It was a Spanish Harlem firehouse patch from his best friend, Owen O’Callaghan. Murphy wore it to remind him and his men about 9/11 and what they were fighting for.
“I didn’t even know at the time that he wore that patch on every mission,” said O’Callaghan. “You talk to the guys he was deployed with, on every mission, on every detail, he had the FDNY Engine 53, Ladder 43 patch on him. It meant a lot that he was always thinking about home.”
Murphy was born in Smithtown, raised in Patchogue. He went to Patchogue-Medford High School and graduated from Penn State.
During his summer vacations he lifeguarded with O’Callaghan at Lake Ronkonkoma.
“We used to work out all the time at the beach,” said O’Callaghan. “Mike was training for the SEALs. So pushups, setups, running. Lake Ronkonkoma is not the most pristine of the beaches in the town, but it was our beach and we loved it.”
Murphy’s father says the lake is the perfect place to remember his son.
“He always enjoyed Lake Ronkonkoma. He liked the area,” said Dan Murphy. “That’s why it worked out so well that the Ronkonkoma Run came to be known as the Michael Murphy Annual Run Around the Lake because it holds a special place in Michael’s heart, I know.”
Paul Dobiecki is the director of the race and member of the Ronkonkoma Rotary Club. RRC has been hosting the race around the lake for over 35 years. In 2012 it was renamed in Murphy’s honor.
“Whatever pace you want to run or walk, that’s up to you. The idea is to come out, enjoy the day and never forget what happened,” said Dobiecki.
Taylor Kitsch, the actor who plays Murphy in the movie, has attended the race for the past three years and will be in attendance on Saturday.
The race starts at 9:00 a.m. There will be booths and a Texas Roadhouse BBQ. Proceeds go to the LT Michael P. Murphy Scholarship Foundation, Special Operations Warrior Fund, Lone Survivor Foundation and other charities.
Murphy’s family and friends are looking forward to what they call a celebration.
“What I like about it, rather than dwell on somebody’s death,” said Dan Murphy. “It’s a party which Michael would love.”
Visit the Run Around the Lake website for more information.