ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan teenager who wanted to
raise awareness about cerebral palsy by walking 40 miles with his
younger brother strapped to his back battled heat, rain, fatigue and
more to finish the trek Sunday.
Hunter Gandee, 14, had been
planning for weeks to pull off the walk, hoping to put a face on the
muscular disorder that prevents his 7-year-old sibling, Braden, from
being able to walk without help. But all his organizing couldn’t prepare
him for the conditions he faced as he packed the 50-pound boy over two
days.
He even thought about giving up along the way.
"Honestly,
yes, there was a point that we did consider stopping," Hunter said.
"Braden’s legs — the chafing was getting pretty bad. We did have to
consider stopping. It was at about the 30-mile point."
A phone call changed all that.
Hunter
reached out to a friend, who said a prayer for the brothers. That,
combined with some rest and a change in how Braden was positioned on his
brother’s back, helped the boys make it the final 10 miles.
It
may have taken a bit longer than they anticipated, but the Gandees and
more than a dozen of their family members and friends strolled up a
winding road Sunday toward the University of Michigan’s wrestling
center.
At the top of the hill, Hunter lifted up Braden so he
could touch a "Go Blue" banner erected for them near the walk’s
endpoint. The move was met with thunderous applause and cheers from
those who had gathered to see the boys finish the trek.
Asked how he felt, Braden replied simply: "Tired."
Hunter said he was "more tired than I think I’ve ever been. My legs are pretty sore. But we pushed
through it. And we’re here."
More
than 30 hours earlier, Hunter, with Braden securely strapped to his
back, left the parking lot of Bedford Junior High in Temperance near the
Ohio border. Just before their Saturday morning departure, well-wishers
packed the gym for a send-off and the school band performed.
The boys’ parents and two other siblings accompanied them on the walk. A caravan of cars and other
walkers also joined in.
The
goal of the walk, called the Cerebral Palsy Swagger, was to raise
awareness about cerebral palsy and hopefully inspire new ideas for
mobility aides and medical procedures.
Braden typically uses a walker, braces or a power chair to get around.
Hunter,
a 155-pound wrestler, said he trained for the trek by lifting weights
and staying active. And by checking the weather forecast.
Saturday was warm and sunny, but Sunday was cool and rainy. The boys were prepared, though, and packed a
variety of outerwear.
By
the time Sunday afternoon arrived, the rain had subsided and they
completed their triumphant march into Ann Arbor under sunny skies.
For Hunter, the walk was about doing something for his brother.
"I
can’t even describe to you how special (Braden) is to me. I can’t put
it into words," the teen said. "He’s awesome. He’s always there for me. I
really just wanted to give back to him in some way."
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