HUNTLEY – In 2009, Joe Kettner participated in his first half-marathon, a grueling 13.1-mile run, for a special purpose, aside from helping raise money for the American Cancer Society.

His prize for the race was seeing his son, Carter Kettner, at the finish line. Carter, who was 5 years old at the time, had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor before the marathon.

Doctors gave him less than 12 months to live, but Carter lived for nearly 15 months before dying in May 2010. More than two years later, Joe Kettner is strapping on his running shoes again to run in the Chicago Half Marathon on Sunday.