Cleveland Breast Cancer Three Day Walk

I have been waiting for something really interesting to use as my first post and it has finally happened. This past weekend I had a life changing event.

Everything that happened this weekend was because my wife, Sue, and daughter Kate had formed a team and were participating in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Three Day walk for a cure. As they have both offered countless hours of support for me on my endeavors it was only natural that I would support them on this important journey. I was unable to be there at the start of the first day, which was Friday August 22nd but arrived on the course around 2:30pm and picked a spot to wait for them to come through. While I was standing there, poster in hand, I realized first that there was not a ton of people there cheering and second that the walkers looked liked they could use some support. As I have been in that position in the late miles of several marathons and triathlons I started cheering for everyone. It started out kind of mild but as I tend to be somewhat intense, things started to quickly pickup and the cheering got louder and louder and the people seemed to really appreciate it. When my wife and her team passed by I cheered them on and decided to hop in my car and drive to the finish line and welcome as many of the walkers as I could home. As I was doing this some of the walkers began to recognize me from earlier and offered their thanks for my support and I really felt like there was a general appreciation for my cheering and that it was really helping.

As my daughter had struggled with dehydration and ended up in the med tent the first day I decided to be there at the starting line on Saturday morning to make sure she was OK and that everyone on Sue's team had there feet all bandaged up properly as blisters and hot spots had also been an issue for everyone on day one. Having made sure everyone was ready to go I ran to the starting line for the start and as the walkers came through I offered my encouragement and cheered them on to the course. I was really surprised how many people remembered me from the day before and I heard a lot of "oh my gosh he's back again" comments. That is when I realized that my mission for the 3 day was to make sure that I was there to keep people going with frequent interaction and lots of encouragement. So I hopped in my car and followed the course until I was ahead of the majority of the walkers and parked, sat on top of my car and resumed cheering. I repeated this throughout the day and every time I changed locations I tried to think of something new to say so people wouldn't get tired of hearing me scream the same thing every time they saw me. Around midday people started to figure out that I wasn't going to go away and they started to ask my name, take pictures of me with them and without, hug me, kiss me, tell me they loved me and I even received one marriage proposal. It was incredible to say the least. I also later found out that at the lunch stop people started talking about me and there was some discussion about who was the guy in the Hawaiian shirt and why was I there. So I now really began to think that I was making a difference in the lives of these people I considered heroes.

I also found out from Kate, who again had dehydration problems and rode the "sweeper van" to the finish line, that when she was waiting for everyone on the team to finish she went to a big tent where the organizers had started a bingo game. During the game the organizers asked what was the most memorable moment of the day and the only person who offered anything up said "there is some guy in a Hawaiian shirt who keeps popping up out of no where and cheering like crazy for us". She told me a two or three minute discussion followed where everyone agreed that it really made a difference and who was it etc...She realized they were talking about me and she told me she was really proud of me!!! Most memorable moment of a group of heroes and your daughter is proud of you...it doesn't get any better than that.

On day three it was the same thing. Although my voice was just about shot at this point I was right back in place at the start as the walkers hit the street to wrap up their three day 60 mile journey. At this point my wife and her team with the exception of Kate, my daughter who finally succumbed to dehydration and Achilles issues at the end of day two, was intact and ready to finish. Later, around mile 50, Sue would succumb to an incredibly sore and swollen ankle but the pride I felt for both her and Kate for taking on this task of raising awareness and money in the fight to cure breast cancer was unmatched by anything I can think of. The walking is the least important part of this journey and I think they did exceptional. As for everyone else who walked some finished and some didn't but they were all heroes that should be commended for a job well done. As for me, my day three continued much like day two. With little to no voice I continued to do my best to encourage people, thank them and generally try to pull them out of the dumps when they were feeling bad. In return people started to thank me by name the hugs and kisses continued and I received many gifts of cough drops (much needed), candy, pins, beads, bracelets, necklaces and leis. I also received some cheers back from the people who were walking in thanks for my cheering for them. I can tell you nothing gives you goose bumps faster than a big group of people walking past you chanting your name. It was incredible.

I know this first post is a long one and I will wrap it up now. It short my experience this weekend was incredible. I am inspired beyond anything I could communicate by people working together to wipe out a disease that has affected so many of us. I saw things this weekend that I will never forget including a lady who walked all of day three with a pair of red buckeye slippers that looked like they were taped to her feet and a girl who apparently broke her foot who did the walk in a wheelchair pushed by what was probably friend or family, people wrapped, taped, limping and generally exhausted but pushing on to make it happen. I saw people of all shapes and sizes, races, sexes, fitness levels and walks of life working together to insure our future is better. It was something I will never forget as long as I live.

I can not wait for next year. The guy in the Hawaiian shirt will be back doing everything possible to help people get through the low points of their 60 mile journey