Race honors attacked family

3,500 turn out for 'Dr. Petit's girls'

Dr. William Petit Jr., whose wife and two daughters were killed in a home invasion, ran in the race yesterday in Plainville, Conn. (Jessica Hill/Associated Press)

PLAINVILLE, Conn. - Dr. William Petit Jr. was among the 3,500 runners and walkers who braved sweltering temperatures yesterday to help raise money in honor of the physician's late wife and two daughters.

Petit, the lone survivor of a July 23, 2007, home invasion in Cheshire, was greeted with loud cheers as he crossed the finish line of the first GE 5K Road Race in Plainville - his home town.

Besides the road race participants, hundreds of onlookers and volunteers turned out for the event, which organizers hope will become an annual tradition. Proceeds benefit The Petit Family Foundation.

"I'm very thankful that everybody came out," said Petit, who walked and ran the 3.1 mile course. "When you have good friends and small communities, like Plainville and Cheshire, people circle the wagons and try to do good things."

Petit's 74-year-old father also participated in the road race.

Shadrack Kiyai of Kenya was the first runner to cross the finish line. Claudia Camargo of Danbury was the first woman.

The race came days before the one-year anniversary of home invasion that left Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daughters Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11, dead.

Two parolees have been charged with multiple crimes and could face the death penalty.

Bob Heslin, a high school classmate of Petit's who helped organize the race with his brother Gary, said about 70 percent of the race participants were women.

He said it was heartening to see so many women support "Dr. Petit's girls."