Thousands Join Annual Rocklin Run Honoring Fallen Officer

ROCKLIN (CBS13) - Thousands came together Sunday morning to remember a Rocklin police officer killed by a drunk driver.

"This puts a smile on our face and brings joy in our life," said John Redding.

After 10 years, Run Rocklin is going strong with thousands of runners supporting the Redding family.

"It's such a joy, you know, and when we think of our son being gone, it hurts. It still hurts and always will hurt so bad," John said of his son Matt.

Matt, a Rocklin police officer, was killed by a hit and run DUI driver while serving the community he grew up in.

"When we moved here Matt was 10, and we were Marilyn and John Redding. It wasn't very long before we were Matt's mom and dad," said John.

This event is just one way Matt's memory lives on.

"I've got many members of my team that remember him, and so lovingly come out here every year, and it's such a special day," Rocklin police Chief Ron Lawrence said.

All of the money raised through this annual event goes back into the community through the Matt Redding Scholarship Foundation.

"The foundation is something my wife and I started the week of our loss, and it's turned into a beautiful thing," said John.

Starting out in two schools, the foundation is now in seven high schools and two local colleges.

"As a parent, I see the young people out here, I see the children, it takes me back to when he was a kid. I know he was 29 when we lost him, but that was the best 29 years of highlights," said John.

So far, $64,000 has been raised for the foundation.