Ain't these freaking awesome?!?!
This is the fourteenth time I will ascend the 1,632 steps, 94 floors of the John Hancock Center in the Hustle Up the Hancock!!! This is the thirteenth time for my team, Kari's Klimbers...
The simple fact that I actually can take the stairs 94 floors up is mind-boggling - when not too long ago, standing at the bottom of a flight of stairs, my oxygen tank weighing on my shoulder, felt like I was at the base of Mount Everest. Actually - it was 15 years, 325 days ago that Kari came into my life and changed all of that...
This is the back of my team shirt... The splash of numbers and initials are people who are very special to me. Almost all of them are people from Iowa who knew and loved Kari - who have come out to be with us and climb with us. Kari was #13 on her Algona Bulldogs High School volleyball team - the top two rows are Kari's volleyball teammates who climb regularly. (#7 is my Alex, who gave me Mabel, her kidney, in May 2012!). The next four rows of initials are Kari's friends, and people who Kari grew up with... The bottom row are not Iowans - they are people special to me, some of whom have climbed with us, who we've lost over the past years because this transplant thing, and sometimes just life, can be rather fragile.
Here are the people behind all of the numbers on my shirt - stopping for a picture on Kari's floor, 13, during the climb a few years ago. I cannot imagine adoring daughters more than I do these girls. I would take a bullet for any one of them. Preferably small caliber and in an extremity - but nonetheless, a bullet. It's been 16 years. Now and then one or two of them miss, apologizing profusely, because, ya know, well - life happens - but most of them are out here every year to be together, and help me remember and honor their friend. Do you have any idea how that makes me feel? (Or how that makes Kari's family feel???)
Since we'd started fourteen years ago, I'd tell you in a heartbeat that I never did this to raise money, I do it to tell people about Kari, and about the goodness of organ donation. But, the money Kari's Klimbers has raised over the past years is probably approaching a half million dollars! I know what it's like to struggle for breath - to be afraid of dying... Can you imagine how many people in my respiratory shoes who we've helped??? I hope Kari would be proud of the people we've helped in her memory, and in her honor.
The Hustle and the Respiratory Health Association also funds lung cancer
research. It gets less press, but lung cancer kills more women than breast cancer, ovarian cancer and cervical cancer combined. Along with Kari - this year our climb is also dedicated to Laura's mom. My beautiful mom-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer last fall. Much to my Laura's dismay, moms and I were partners in mischief and finding the wrong foods to eat, particularly doughnuts. When she was diagnosed with lung cancer, mom and I had some long chats about options, and the strength it sometimes takes not to fight. She chose to fight. Ironically - the chemo had dramatically shrunk her tumors - it worked. But it was too toxic for the rest of mom and she didn't survive. We climb to fund research so maybe next time - someone else's mom-in-law has a better chance of hanging around and sneaking doughnuts with them.
But to me - this climb will always be about Kari, and the beautiful people who surrounded her. And about Alex - one of the people who surrounded Kari who, years later found out I was in trouble, and let me know she had my back. After 12 years of the drugs that allow me to keep Kari's lungs destroyed my kidneys - four years ago Alex gave me one of her kidneys. Can you imagine what it feels like to be surrounded by people who loved Kari that much???
And about those awesome, hot pink shirts... I didn't know Kari... But on Saturday and Sunday I will be surrounded by several people who Kari grew up with - people who knew and loved Kari... And on Sunday, I will be surrounded by over one hundred people who come out to climb with me, and help me honor Kari and her friends... And we will all be wearing hot pink and neon green shirts - the colors picked out by Kari's beautiful niece, Eva Kari - in the picture here with her brother Garrett. I can't even imagine how much Kari would adore her niece & nephew, Eva & Garrett... And I can only imagine how much they would adore Kari... And I think she would be tickled-pink at the colors her Eva chose for this years climb!!!
As I'd mentioned, sixteen years ago, standing at the base of a flight of stairs with my oxygen tank weighing on my shoulder – looking up that flight felt like I was at the base of Mount Everest. In my wildest, wildest dreams – I could not have imagined a world where I could stroll up 94 floors of stairs – 1,632 steps – without skipping a beat. I could do it every single, freaking day… Seriously! I can do it because of organ donation. I can do it because of two beautiful girls from Iowa – and the inspiration from dozens of their friends and families. And I can do it because of millions of people, like you, over the years supporting people like me… Thank you.
If things are tight, just cheer me on, and think about Kari, Alex and all of the people involved in saving lives like mine… But, if you can spare a few bucks, please consider opening a purse or wallet and donating to me, my team, or someone on my team, or someone you know doing this climb… I know an awful lot of people struggling like I did. You can help me do something to help them – and help me pay forward the millions who have kept me here on this beautiful planet.
Contribute to Steve's climb – click here…
Contribute to Kari's Klimbers or a team member – click here…
To see my website about Kari and what she's done – click here…
To register to become an organ & tissue donor – click here…
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