(Michigan) In an inspiring effort to promote awareness about
cerebral palsy, 14-year-old Hunter Gandee walk 40 miles while
carrying his younger brother Braden, who was born with the muscular
disorder, in a harness on his back.
Seven-year-old Braden cannot walk on his own, and typically uses a
walker, braces or a power chair. On Saturday, he relied on his
brother.
After a celebratory send off at Bedford Junior High, the Gandee
boys made the two-day journey from Temperance, Michigan to Ann
Arbor.
Hunter and Braden enjoyed pleasant weather Saturday, but endured
rain and cold on Sunday. An exhausted Hunter admitted that he even
considered ending the walk with about 10 miles left. “Braden’s legs
— the chafing was getting pretty bad. We did have to consider
stopping,” he explained to AP
A phone call to hunter from a friend who told him that he was
praying for the brothers helped to motivate the boys to keep
going.
When the boys finally reached the walk’s finish line at the
University of Michigan’s wrestling center, Hunter victoriously
lifted Braden in the air, and the crowd of supporters showered the
two with applause.
Reflecting upon the meaning of the walk, Hunter said, “I really
just wanted to give back to him in some way.”