Ryan’s Memorial 5K

Join us for the 2nd Annual Apple Festival Memorial 5K honoring Ryan Simpson on October 4, 2026, in Versailles, Missouri.

Starting and finishing at the Versailles City Park, this is a fast, all-road 5K course through the community Ryan called home. Come chase a PR, walk with your family, or simply cover 3.1 miles in memory of a kid who left a mark on so many.

Ryan Simpson was 16 years old when he was tragically killed in a car accident on June 6, 2025. He was a son, a big brother, a friend, a teammate, and a Versailles Tiger through and through. Ryan loved sports and competed in wrestling, football, track, and cross country. He was the kind of kid who showed up for his people, loved his family fiercely, and left an impact far bigger than his 16 years.

Ryan’s Run was created to make sure that impact didn’t end on June 6.

Through the Ryan Simpson Memorial Fund, his name continues to do good in the community he loved. The fund has provided gear for athletes, covered registration fees, outfitted the Versailles Youth Wrestling Club with new singlets, and helped support other families who have experienced the loss of a child. Beginning this year with Ryan’s own graduating class being the first recipients, the fund will also provide scholarships to local seniors.

Every person who signs up, every step taken, and every finish line crossed helps us continue something that means more to our family than we could ever put into words.

We run because Ryan ran these roads. We run because he should still be here. And we run because as long as we keep saying his name and doing good in his honor, a piece of him keeps moving forward with us.

3.1 miles for Ryan. A legacy that goes so much farther. 🖤💛