Kevin got his van today!

It is hard to catch Kevin when he is not flashing his contagious smile. But he was especially excited today. Watching him this afternoon flooded my heart with feelings far beyond what I had expected to feel. It is a feeling I will never forget.

We searched for some time to find just the right vehicle with the funds we had to work with. Kevin’s chair is heavy and requires a strong lift. We finally located a great fit from a private seller in Brigham City.

We arranged for the presentation at Crossfit Draper, Brandon Bickmore’s gym. Brandon donated the truck that pulled the trailer we needed for accommodations for most of the walk. We thought it would be fitting to have Kevin receive his new transport at the business of one of his greatest supporters.

The news clip is a bit inaccurate, but the message is still there. Kevin can now go places with his family and his chair. It will have a big impact on him and his family. That he is happy about that is easy to see in KSL’s video.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=13675939

Thank you all again!

We are continuing to get donations and working to provide limbs for kids that need them. We have a long way to go. Pass the word along!

To paraphrase Tiny Tim “God bless you – everyone!”

Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday Season for all!!!

WALK STEVE WALK - 365 miles - the deed is done!

I started the last day of my walk in Washington, about six miles from my final destination. My wife’s sister, Michelle, Elise and Kara followed along with me. We walked along the right side of the road with the three girls switching off as drivers following behind in the car while the others walked ahead with donation buckets.

We walked through Washington and had started up the hill toward the factory outlet stores near St. George Blvd, with Michelle driving and Elise and Kara walking with me, when Elise looked over her shoulder and announced, “We have a police car behind us.”

 I didn’t turn around. “Are the lights flashing?” I asked.

 “Not yet,” she replied. She kept looking over her shoulder. “OK, now the lights are flashing, the car has stopped and I can’t see mom.  Are you going to stop?”

“Only if they tell me to”, I replied.

“What are you going to do if they make us stop?”

I thought about this for a moment and answered, “They can’t keep us from walking, but we may have to get the car out of the road and walk on the sidewalk.”

We kept walking and soon Michelle was following behind us again, the police car still following along.  Kara came up beside us and let us know the police officer was calling in to find out if he should stop us. While all this was happening cars were going around us, and people were honking and cheering and sometimes holding out money for us. Before long, the police car disappeared and we were on our own again.

As we came down the hill toward the intersection I saw a man squatting in the middle of the sidewalk ahead of me with a large camera in his hands. He was a reporter, freelancing for KSL. Anne Foster, who had covered the launch in Liberty Park, had contacted him from Salt Lake and had asked him to cover the story. He followed us taking pictures.

At one point he got in our car and started taking pictures standing up through the sun-roof.  He asked me, “How do you feel?”

“I feel great”, I said. “But a bit like one of the animals on a safari tour.”

We had a group that was planning to meet us at the Ramada Inn. My brother Rick and his family had come down from Salt Lake, my sister Sue and her family had joined them at the hotel. We were also joined by some girls from a local dance group we had met in a sporting goods store the night before. Carl and Jeannie Timm also came down from Spring City.

We all paraded down St. George Blvd, gathering donations and waving to passing cars. A passing cyclist wearing Canadian gear stopped long enough to pass Kara a crisp $100 dollar bill. There were balloons tied to water bottles all along the path running from Main Street up to 300 North and over to the Bank on Tabernacle Street. We gathered the balloons in as we walked, sometimes drinking the water and other times tossing the bottles into the car through an open window.

By the time we got to the bank, there was a finish line strung through a balloon arch. A crowd had gathered and they cheered as we approached the finish line.

There was a bunch of people at the finish. Old friends, and new friends. People who had come from out of state and people we had met on our journey down. Several family members had come from Salt Lake just for this event.

John Whittaker was there with his new bride Cathy. He was one of the people who had done so much to get this started and make it happen.  It was so great to see them there.  They had come down this morning and had to turn around and go right back home. It was humbling. But the biggest stars were missing. Kevin and his family were nowhere to be seen. We sent a runner to the fountain at the school in case they had missed the location change, but no one was there. We went ahead with the program without them.

I spoke to the group for a few minutes, thanked everyone for all of their help, sacrifice and support. I told the story about Kara being found “dead” at Zion and talked about what we had accomplished and what I hoped people may be inspired to do. Then Shauna made a presentation for the bank and announced that the bank had donated $250. She gave a challenge to all other Utah banks to match or exceed their donation.

After Shauna’s presentation, we started a short interview with the media when I heard Kara call out, “Steve, wait! Kevin is here!” Kevin, his mom, his brother and sister and his grandparents had finally arrived. It was so great to see them. Kevin was all smiles but a bit camera shy. It is funny how much more talkative he can be when he doesn’t have a microphone in his face.

Kevin’s mom, Marissa, had to return to work that afternoon, so we wrapped things up as soon as we could and headed straight to The Brick Oven to celebrate. Kara attached all of the balloons to the car for the drive to the restaurant. It was a pretty amazing display.

At the restaurant, we were trying to figure out what to do with the balloons. Rick suggested we let Kevin launch them, like he had when we started. He kept a few, but bunch he launched from the Brick oven was the biggest bunch of balloons I have ever seen take off at once.

So now the walk is over, but the mission remains. We are still striving to raise funds to help kids who need prosthetics. We have in hand nearly enough to buy the wheelchair equipped vehicle we had promised to Kevin. When the pledges come in, we will have more funds to send to Limbs for Life to help other kids.

Kevin will need more than transportation to be able to do all he is capable of doing. He is a smart kid, but smart kids without limbs will have a challenge getting things from their head and into practice. Stephen Hawking has done incredible things, and while he has limbs, they are no help to him. Like Kevin, he has had to learn to do without. Technology has brought some amazing tools into our lives. Like Stephen Hawking, Kevin can learn to speak to a computer which can help him learn and capture his thoughts as he does. Loral Langemeier has “written” five best selling books, mostly by speaking into a microphone. So we are looking at helping Kevin get some of these tools. It is a small thing that should make a big difference.

Day 45 Between Hurricane and Washington

I am only a day short of finishing this walk. Part of me is excited and there is a real sense of accomplishment – while part of me is sad to see it all end. While I did not doubt I would finish, I wasn't always confident it would be done in one shot. I really had no way of anticipating what I would encounter on this journey. It was physically much more stressful than I thought it would be. And while I have grown stronger as I have walked, it has still been painful most of the time. I really thought I would just toughen up and all that would go away. I was wrong. And yet I can go further in a day than when I started and I seem to recover extraordinarily fast.

This was my last long day. I had some miles to make up if I wanted a more relaxed day tomorrow, but piles of mundane tasks delayed my start. I had to get a haircut, we needed to pick up balloons and figure out how we were going to get enough weight on them to keep them from floating off. Thanks to Kara’s sister, Michelle we settled on bottled water, but that also meant picking up and then delivering 100 bottles of water. We had media contacts to make and there were a dozen other miscellaneous tasks to done. It was mid-day before I even started to walk.

As I walked along the road I thought about the amazing scenery I had passed over the last two months and how grateful I have been to have had the opportunity to experience it at two miles an hour. It is amazing how much more can be seen and felt when we slow down. I consider learning to see life from a slowed perspective such a valuable lesson that if nothing else were gained, it would have been well worth the trip to come away with that one nugget of truth.

At some point I came over a hill and got my first glimpse of the “D” on the mountain above St. George. I had to just stop and stare. In some ways it is hard for me to comprehend this is all about to end. I have some deeply mixed feelings. As the valley opened up below me I felt a surge of excitement, but at the same time I was haunted by a hollow feeling that was building up inside me. Soon my life would be back to “normal” and I wondered if I would just fall into a rut of the same routine I had been living out for so many years. I determined that though I wasn't sure just how things would change, it was certain my life would be different.

We had originally planned to end the walk at the fountain on the Dixie State College campus. But, due to a series of miscommunications with the student council member we had been coordinating with, and because of scheduling conflicts, nothing was planned.

My friend Jeannie, who lives in California, had worked with her friend Shauna in St. George to set up the reception at the campus. A few days ago when it became clear that things were not happening, Jeannie and Shauna went to work on an alternative plan. Shauna works in the PR department for Village Bank in St. George. She went to management and told them about the walk and asked if they would like to help. Village Bank generously offered us a venue to finish at their fountain in front of their main branch. They also provided media announcements, and Shauna was planning on balloons and refreshments for the finish line. Jeannie flew in from California yesterday and she and Shauna have been feverishly working on putting everything together.  They plan to make the finish an awesome event.

When we took the truck and trailer back to Salt Lake last week I managed to leave my infamous shorts behind. I have been walking in my sweats ever since, but we decided for the end of the trip, I should find some shorts. Tonight we went to Rebel Sports where the factory outlets are near St. George Blvd. Kara went in ahead of me while I dragged my stiff muscles out of the car after managing to shove a shoe over my complaining foot, and by the time I came into the store she had already struck up a conversation with a young lady that had organized a dance group the performs all year and then donates the proceeds of their ticket sales to a good cause. When she heard what we were doing she got all excited and wanted to be a part of it. She promised to come the next day and bring someone with her. They have already donated this year’s funds to a great family with a child who is dealing with cancer, but she asked if the group could adopt our cause for their efforts to raise money for a good cause next year. We were delighted to accept.

My brother Rick and his family came down tonight to finish the walk with us. They were also there at the beginning and it is good to have their support. We all spent the evening at Sue’s house and we talked about running out to Golden Spoon for some frozen yogurt, but we were all tired and the evening ended early. There is still a lot to be done tomorrow morning and I have a few miles to walk before meeting up with the bulk of the crowd at St. George Blvd. It is going to be a short night.

Day 44 La Verkin & Hurricane

Only a few miles left of my walk down Highway 89 from Salt Lake City to St. George. I found myself feeling introspective today as I came closer to St. George and the end of my journey. Have I met my goals? Have I made a difference? So many things I could have done differently, better, more.

What about the people I have encountered? I have been surprised and even amazed at what some people have done to help - donations of time as well as money, goods, services. Significant sacrifices. While other’s just didn’t seem to get it. Perhaps that is my fault. Some people seem to have been greatly affected by even the idea of what I have been doing. While others could only respond with, “good luck with that.”

I have learned some things about myself; or perhaps re-learned. Part of this was brought on by a realization that I needed to do more; to be more. Some years ago I saw a movie that had a great impact on me – Disney’s The Kid. I was drawn in by Bruce Willis’ character, Russ Duritz as he tried to explain his life to his 8-year old self. Young Rusty takes it all in, then neatly summarizes Duritz’s life, “So, I'm forty, I'm not married, I don't fly jets, and I don't have a dog? I grow up to be a loser.” I knew 8-year Steve would have felt the same way. The weight of that burden plagued me.

I remember dreams I had as a kid. What would I say to my 8-year old self? Who was I now? What had I become?  Today I feel I have a better answer for little Steve.

Day 42 - 43 Between Zion and Hurricane

I never get tired of the splendor of red rock. As I leave Zion, and some of the most amazing scenery anywhere, I am blown away by the artistry of God. I am so glad I could not walk down I-15. Highway 89 gave me a hundred extra miles of walking, but there is a reason it has become one of the most loved scenic byways. Kara and I have come to appreciate the beauty of Utah like never before.

I still feel my ankle a bit but I only feel my thigh when I push uphill. I decided to keep my “reshaped” crutch. In some ways it is better than before I bent it in the hole on the bridge. I have nearly worn out my favorite shoe, but swapping out the insole with one of my others has given it new life.

There is not much left of my walk. I have a hard time thinking about getting back to the “box” of everyday life. On the other hand, it will be good for my family to have some regularity and routine.

I saw a cottontail today. It surprises me that I have not seen more wildlife. Perhaps it is the time of year. I have only seen one snake, a few lizards, lots of deer and lots of awesome birds, a few rabbits, and one very tiny mouse that hopped around on the road more like a frog than a rodent. There have also been some strange “domestic” animals, ranging from llamas and alpacas, to ostriches, emus, and bison.

Sometimes walking gets hard. I get tired and sore. I start thinking about guys like Terry Fox, who in pain ran a marathon every day for weeks on an artificial leg, until the cancer that had taken his leg eventually took his life. Or Bob Weiland, who lost his legs to a landmine while trying to rescue a fellow soldier. Bob walked across America on his hands. These guys have been such an inspiration to me and thinking about them takes away my complaints. I think of Kevin.

When none of that is working for me I think of Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper. I picture Jillian in her Bully shirt and I can hear her barking, “MOVE!” or “Don’t you dare quit!” And then I am glad I have it so easy.

Day 41 Leaving Zion



In other words, no pix in the dark :)





Twas dark as I walked.

As night became day I worked

Night again. Walking.

Day 40 Zion

        Kara dropped me off this morning and headed over to Glendale for one more visit with Clara before we finished this side of Zion Canyon. No sooner was she out of sight than the wind picked up and soon it was raining, with the rain hitting my face so hard it stung. I bundled up and headed into the wind. The rain didn’t last long, but the wind kept up for most of the day and for a while, I even got hail - blue skies to the left of me, and hail pelting me from the right. It was pretty strange.

        I walked past some buffalo, watched a herd of deer cross the road only a short distance ahead of me, and watched as the scenery changed from interesting to spectacular as I got nearer to Zion. Just before I got to the entrance, Kara returned and resumed following behind me. Inside the park, as I came to the checkerboard mesa, I stepped on a rock and twisted my ankle. I tested it out for a bit and decided I had not done any major damage and continued on down through the park, Kara driving from turnout to turnout.

        Highway 9, which runs through the park, has been under construction most of the summer. They were supposed to be finished by now, but delays due to weather have slowed things down. There is still a long stretch that is not complete and we were told we could not walk through the construction areas.  So, Kara drove me through the construction and dropped me off on the other side. She said she was going to go find a lady’s room and I told her I would meet her down the road. Not long after she dropped me off, I came to the bridge which crosses the river. I was watching the river as I crossed and was not paying attention to the road in front of me. Suddenly, my right crutch dropped into a hole I hadn’t seen. The hole ran all the way through the bridge, maybe for drainage, and my crutch sank into it almost to the handle. I pitched forward, bending my crutch, twisting my ankle again and pulling a muscle in my thigh. “Well”, I thought,” guess I’m done for the day.”

     I pulled my crutch back out of the hole and stared at it for several minutes. It finally occurred to me to take a picture. I should have taken a picture of it in the hole.  I figured Kara would be back soon, and I would just pick it up the next day. But Kara didn’t come. After several minutes, I got the idea that I
 could put my crutch back in the hole and bend it back and start walking again. As I started walking I could feel my thigh muscle pulling and my ankle was complaining again with every step.
        I continued on for a mile or so, and still no Kara. Eventually I got down to the campground just inside of the park. I could smell campfires and someone cooking – one of the best smells on the planet when you are camping, and it made me wish I was camping here myself. I passed the campground and saw the car up ahead off the side of the road near the exit. I wondered why she had waited so long to check in on me.

        When I got to the car, I could tell Kara had been sleeping. After she had found the lady’s room, she had pulled off the side of the road to wait for me to catch up. She was so exhausted from all she had been doing over the past weeks that she fell asleep right there on the side of the road with her window rolled down. Sometime after she had crashed out, a park ranger startled her awake. As he approached he had a strange look on his face that seemed to turn to relief as she sat up in her seat.

        “Someone called in and reported you dead.” He said, “You looked dead.”  It was a good time to end the day.

        I went back to Arbon’s with my “dead” wife and we all spent the evening watching the replay of the U of U / Air Force game. All, that is, except Kara, who passed out again sometime after the end of the first quarter.  For a while, Dave ran back and forth, pausing the game while running to the door to take care of trick-or-treaters. Finally we left the trick-or-treaters in Elise’s capable hands (she doesn’t like football) while we ran down to the big screen in the theater room to finish the game. It was a nail biter, but the good guys won in the end and all was right with the world.