The Touching Reason a Teen Walked 57 Miles — Carrying His Brother on His Back
Hunter Gandee hit the road – walking 57 miles with his brother, Braden, on his back. (All Photos: Facebook/Cerebral Palsy Swagger)
DETROIT (AP) — A Michigan teen who last year walked 40 miles carrying his brother on his back to raise awareness for cerebral palsy has wrapped up an even longer trek with his sibling.
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Hunter Gandee finished his 57-mile journey Sunday afternoon at the University of Michigan’s Pediatric Rehabilitation Center in Ann Arbor after starting from Lambertville in southeastern Michigan’s Monroe County. His brother was in a harness.
Hunter was 14 last June when he carried then-7-year-old Braden, who has cerebral palsy and cannot walk unassisted.
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Hunter told The Associated Press by phone Sunday that he was “pretty sore” near the finish but “got a burst of energy at the end.” He said they received great support throughout the weekend.
“It went great — we walked into a big crowd of people,” Hunter said. “It was great to have everyone there. … (Braden) was excited — not only that we were done finally, but everyone was there cheering him on.”
The list of supporters included members of Hunter’s wrestling and football teams, some of whom dumped a bucket of ice water on him at the end. Also in attendance was world silver medalist wrestler Jake Herbert.
This year’s “Cerebral Palsy Swagger” started Friday at CP Swagger Shipyard, a playground they raised money for at Braden’s Lambertville elementary school.
The family said the walk wasn’t intended to be a fundraiser; rather it an awareness project. Hunter said they “absolutely” achieved that aim.
“We were able to reach more people,” he said. “That’s what our goal was.”
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