A Dallas man is preparing for a 220-mile run next month to honor the service members killed in the Extortion 17 mission and raise money for military families. Mike Rouse plans to run from his hometown of Abilene to his current hometown of Dallas, beginning Monday, Aug. 3, and arriving Thursday, Aug. 6 — the 15th anniversary of Extortion 17, a rescue mission that ended in the deaths of 31 military personnel. The challenge is deeply personal for Rouse, who said one of those killed was his friend, Navy SEAL John Tomilson. “Extortion 17 was one of the cruelest days of my life when on August 6, 2011, when I got a call that my dear friend John Tomilson, who was a Navy SEAL that was on that helicopter, had lost his life,” Rouse said. Since then, Rouse has marked the anniversary each year by taking on a demanding endurance run in memory of those who died. “I just felt like it was my mission to bring awareness to the sacrifice of these men and the sacrifice of their families,” Rouse said. Training through the Texas heat, Rouse said the 220-mile journey will test him both mentally and physically. He plans to run continuously with only a few breaks along the way. As he prepares for this year’s run, Rouse said he often thinks about what his friend would say. “He would say pops youre crazy but I love you for it, and he probably would have run every step of the way with me,” Rouse said. “And so it just gives me that much more cause and momentum to do something really, really special.” Rouse said the annual run is about leaving a lasting legacy through service and remembrance. “The older I get, the more I realize that the only thing I leave behind is my legacy,” Rouse said. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC DFW. AI tools helped convert the story into a digital article, and an NBC DFW journalist edited it again before publication. ...read more read less