Walking For a Cause... Or Two

All of us at times in our lives put down all distractions and fight for causes we believe in. We may raise money to fight terrible diseases or to attack injustices towards others. While much of my time here on COAS is spent talking about sports and maybe a little towards fighting for justice and equality (...okay, maybe just because I want a college football playoff), there are times I want to take a step back and look at more important issues in society and share with you the things I fight for.

I've talked on here a couple times about my brother, Logan, who continues his fight against Duchenne muscular dystrophy. It's a daily battle to help him out with things he can no longer physically do, knowing the rough road that lies ahead for him. That's why, whenever the opportunity arises, I join with my family to help in Logan's fight and the fight of many other children affected by various forms of neuromuscular disease. The fundraiser most people know of is the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, that has downsized tremendously in recent years, but there are many other events that the Muscular Dystrophy Association holds to raise money for research, medical care, and their summer camps that Logan says is his favorite week of the year.

On Saturday, April 6, I will join with my family and friends, as well as many other families affected by neuromuscular disease at Soldier Field for the 2013 MDA Muscle Walk. We will do a 5K that morning as we fight for kids like Logan who need our help.

"I have watched Logan have trouble maintaining his balance and fall.  I have watched him struggle to climb a flight of stairs.  I have watched him lose the ability to do so many things that most of us take for granted.  And I have watched him become fully dependent on a wheelchair because his muscles no longer have the strength to support his body weight.
But I have also watched Logan smile, an infectious smile that is almost always present on his face.  I have watched him assert his independence to continue to do the things that he is still able to do on his own.  My son is determined.  His spirit is strong.  His love of life insurmountable.  And because he can't walk, I WALK FOR HIM!" -Scott Mitzel

If you want to help us in our fight for Logan, you can visit our team page and either sign up to walk with us, or donate however much you are willing and able to give. Every dollar counts, and goes towards helping kids like Logan. Together with us, you can make a muscle... and make a difference.

But while I will be on the lakefront that Saturday morning, a part of me will also be hundreds of miles away to fight for another cause I firmly believe in.
Most summers for me involve a drive up to the bustling metropolis of Wahpeton, North Dakota. It's where my parents grew up and where my grandparents still live, and in the words of my fiancee, "Despite the distance [from home] and the chill, all of the people are very nice and provide a homey and welcoming feeling for all people.The town is very cute and maintains the personality of the people." My dad and brother had a chance to go up in July for a week to visit family. I had to stay home because I had to work and didn't have the time off to make my way up there, but the day after they returned, my dad and I were forced to make plans to head back up there.

"July 6, 2012 will be remembered as a day many lives were changed forever, from highest of highs to lowest of lows.  It was an evening that Aaron, [my cousin] Allison, Brielle and unborn baby Deutscher were traveling to Bismarck for a family reunion. On their way to Bismarck, they were all tragically killed by a drunk driver. It was an accident that not only broke the hearts of family and friends, it shook the communities statewide." -Run 4 Change Mission Statement, excerpt

Taken from Run 4 Change Facebook page.

My dad and brother had just seen my cousin and her family just a few days before the accident. I hadn't seen them in about a year when I last went up to visit and Brielle was only about 6 months old. I took a day off from work, and the day before the funeral left work to meet my dad at the airport, flew to Minneapolis, and made the 3 or 4 hour drive the rest of the way to Wahpeton before the funeral the next day up in Moorhead, Minnesota. In the months since, Allison's dad has been very vocal in urging North Dakota lawmakers to do something about drunk driving in North Dakota. The CDC reported in 2010 that drunk driving was a factor in 31% of traffic fatalities, accounting for over 10,000 deaths that year. When the group Run 4 Change was founded and they updated their numbers, 53% of North Dakota's traffic fatalities involved alcohol. North Dakota's laws are lax with this sort of thing, and the hope is that this accident, and the awareness raised by this walk will lead to more preventative measures against drunk driving fatalities.

On the same day as the Muscle Walk, April 6, Run 4 Change will be holding a memorial event in Fargo, North Dakota including a 5K walk/run, a 10K, and a half mile "bubble run" in memory of my cousin Allison, her husband Aaron, their 18 month old daughter Brielle, and another baby on the way. Allison and Aaron were both big into sports. Allison was a runner who loved doing 10K's and was a long time softball player. Aaron was big into softball and soccer, and had been teaching Brielle how to kick a soccer ball. I imagine this love of sport played a big role in the setup of this event.

If you are around the Fargo area that weekend, you can register for one of the three events here. All proceeds are going to the Safe Communities Coalition of Red River Valley, and I'm sure this event will bring to light more awareness of the dangers of drunk driving.

This especially brings to light a major issue coming up this Super Bowl weekend. Please celebrate the festivities responsibly. If you do decide to drink, be smart and either designate a driver or call a cab home; don't drive yourself. I see drunk driving fatalities at work on a regular basis. I shouldn't ever have to see it. No family should have to go through what mine did, and this work in the memory of my cousin Allison and her family should not be in vain.