Night Stalkers Don’t Quit: Cowtown Athlete Erica Grone Runs for Her Son

The first athlete we are honored to introduce from the 2026 Cowtown Gold Star and Survivor Endurance Program is Erica Grone. Erica is a mother, wife, small business owner, and now, a runner with a purpose far greater than she ever imagined.

Erica grew up in Canada and now calls New Hampshire home. She and her husband Steve have been married for 32 years and are proud parents of two children, Emily and Tanner. This March, Erica will step to the start line of the Cowtown Half Marathon to run in honor of her son, SSG Tanner Wolf Grone, 10 November 2023, a Crew Chief Flight Instructor with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the Night Stalkers, out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

“I’m 53 and have never been a runner,” Erica shares with a smile. “I always told my children they could do anything if they worked hard and set their minds to it. When Emily encouraged me to join wear blue, she reminded me of those very words.”

Her daughter Emily ran the San Francisco Marathon last year with wear blue in Tanner’s honor. Watching Emily find connection, understanding, and healing through the wear blue community inspired Erica to take her own courageous step forward.

“wear blue did wonders for Emily,” Erica says. “As a sibling, you sometimes get forgotten. But wear blue embraced her, and as a parent, seeing your child find comfort means everything. That’s why I’m here now, because of Emily, and because of Tanner.”

Erica never imagined herself lacing up running shoes. But she began with a simple “couch-to-5K” plan, encouraged by Emily, and discovered something powerful along the way.

“There are days I question why I’m doing this,” she admits. “Then I think of what Tanner did to become a Night Stalker, the sacrifices he made, how hard he pushed himself, and I keep going. If he could do what he did, I can do this.”

Two years after Tanner’s passing, the hard days are still real. But Erica’s family lives by the motto Tanner embodied: Night Stalkers Don’t Quit (NSDQ).

“As a family we will continue to honor Tanner and be the best that we can be even on the hard days.”

Last summer, Erica ran her first 5K at an event Emily organized in Tanner’s memory. More than 170 people showed up to honor him including family, friends, members of his unit, and even strangers from around the world.

“I wasn’t the fastest, but I finished. And to me, that’s what counts. I didn’t give up.”

Since then, Erica has completed two 10Ks and is now training for her first half marathon with the Cowtown team.

For Erica, running in blue is about far more than miles.

“When you stand in the Circle of Remembrance, you know the people around you understand the loss, the pain, and the everyday struggles. We wake up and put one foot in front of the other, but it takes every ounce of strength. Running has helped me keep moving literally and emotionally.”

Between training, Erica and Steve run their small gift shop and manage rental properties. Life is busy. Grief is heavy. But Erica keeps showing up.

“My biggest challenge is myself getting out of my own head. But every run is proof that I can do hard things.”

This March, when Erica crosses the finish line in Fort Worth, she won’t be alone. Emily will be running right beside her just as they have walked beside one another through every step of this journey.

“I’m honoring Tanner by pushing myself out of my comfort zone,” Erica says. “Proving to him that he’s worth it, and that he will never be forgotten.”

Erica runs for her son.
She runs for her family.
She runs because Night Stalkers Don’t Quit and neither do their families.