Last September, 70 year old veteran and Erie native Alan George Will, crossed the finish line of the Barber Beast on the Bay with his son Jared. While suffering from back problems, Alan Will was also blind when he beat the Beast, becoming the first veteran to do so. His son Jared, was there with him every step of the way, checking his dad's health. 

"There was just constant feedback between us the entire race," Jared Will said. "We were just in lock step the whole time."

Despite the physical toll, Alan Will wanted to do it again this year but he passed away in May. Still, his perseverance is inspiring others to take on the Beast, this year called Beast on the Block. His wife Diane has an entire group of family members and friends participating.

"Because of the virtual nature my family can all get together," Diane Will said. "We'll have his seeing eye dog with us, so we're all going to walk together in his honor."

The Beast on the Block is virtual 5K that is designed to be done anywhere, and will be taking place from Friday, Sept. 11 to Monday, Sept. 14. The event was developed after safety restrictions led to the cancelation of Barber Beast on the Bay, according the Barber National Institute. The funds raised by the event will help the institute continue providing assistance to thousands of families with children and adults that live with with autism, intellectual disabilities and behavioral health challenges.

Registrations can be done online at barberbeast.org.

The Will family says they're thankful for the event and the lasting memory of Alan Will that it gave them. 

"I don't have the vocabulary to properly describe how important this event was to bringing my dad and I together," Jared Will said. "I will do this event come heck or high water every single year until my body is dust, that's how important this event is to me."