Three years ago, Amy Landenberger was a beneficiary of the Super Jess 5K run, but couldn't attend because she was in the hospital.

Her parents, Bob and Kathy Landenberger, attended in her stead. They then rushed to the hospital, where Amy passed away later that day due to complications from a double lung transplant.

Bob and Kathy haven't missed a race -- affectionately dubbed the SJ5K -- since.

"She made it through the race," Kathy Landenberger said Sunday, when she and her husband attended the seventh annual SJ5K, "This is my family here. If it wasn't for this, I never would have made it through that day."

"It keeps Amy's memory alive," Bob Landenberger said.

The SJ5K is an annual charity run named for former student Jesse Lindlbauer, who was found unresponsive in 2011, rushed to Mott Children’s Hospital, and discovered to have a ruptured brain abscess, which caused complications like meningitis and brain trauma.

This year's race, held Sunday at the Canton High School varsity football field, set several records. It featured more than 3,000 participants in addition to record money raised (they were shooting for $100,000) and a record number of sponsors.

Most importantly, it helped the most families -- seven -- in the race's history. That kind of help is one of the things that keeps Barb Lindlbauer -- Jesse's mother -- coming back.

"It brings back good memories of that first 5k," Barb Lindlbauer said Sunday. "It gives us the strength to move forward. It's always good to come back. It's nice to support other families."

Lizzy Verdugo, a freshman at Canton High School, is one of the seven recipients of this year's SJ5K. Lizzy has had brain surgery, four rounds of chemotherapy and some 20 radiation treatments to treat a tumor.

On Sunday, Lizzy was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.

"Each letter in SJ5K represents a way this community has supported me," Lizzy said. "I'm overwhelmed and grateful the community has come together, with God's grace."

bkadrich@hometownlife.com

Twitter: @bkadrich