Relay For Life-Kaleb

Relay for Life started last friday at 6:00 pm. Kaleb's friend had talked him into joining their team. Usually the team will take turns walking, so that there is always someone on the team out on the track at all times....maybe 2 people...I am not totally sure of the specifics. Anyways, Kaleb and his friend decided they were going to walk the full 24 hours. I thought they were crazy and knew they didn't know what they were getting themselves into but figured this would be a memorable experience for Kaleb. Little did I know!
We've never been to a Relay for Life before but there were displays all around the track. This one was of Ocean Shores...the buildings were local stores. It as cute. I think the HOPE was lit up at one point.
Here's Kaleb and his friends at the beginning, probably 1-2 hours into the walk. Look how energetic and happy they look! It going to be a great night! YEAH RIGHT!

Kaleb had an envelope on his back for donations. He actually made money in it! It also says he is a 24 hour walker!

There was such a wide assortment of people there. Jeremy asked me to snap a photo of these ladies. He liked their outfits! Logging is big here, so they fit in for sure!

We stayed friday night just for a bit. I got the sense he was on his own adventure, and we were cramping his style. We walked around with him for a few laps, then went on home, and told him to call if he needed anything. I also brought more clothes, food etc....anything he might need for the night. I also talked him into bringing a sleeping bag if he decided to take a little break. Frankly, I didn't think he was going to be able to walk the full 24 hours!

Well, around 4:30 am he started texting Jeremy and I. Jeremy was at work (at the FD). He told us his friend had quit at 1:00 am. I was soo impressed with Kaleb, that he kept going without his friend. He said he was having a hard time, and had hit a wall. We both told him to get something to eat, which helped....I thought about suggesting an energy drink or something like that but resisted. I also told him he could stop and take a longer break. That even if he didn't walk the WHOLE 24 he was still accomplishing something great...but he resisted that! After texting back and forth for about a half hour, he said he was feeling better, which was good.

Later the next morning when we arrived at the walk, Jeremy said people would come up to him and ask if he was Kaleb's dad....and say how amazed they were by him. Other people told his he looked pretty funny in the early morning hours, cause he was walking sideways! half asleep. But, he fought through it. They saw and were also impressed. We have always been complimented for Kaleb's strengths, so that wasn't new, but having total strangers, who'd only briefly seen Kaleb, comment on him was cool.

This is around noon saturday. Everytime we went to see Kaleb, there was someone talking to him. Others walking would come up and encourage him, or keep him company. The guy in the black was one of them. I was so amazed by the goodness of people there. Everyone was walking, earning, remembering loved ones who'd suffered from cancer. There was soo much love at that track. It was amazing.

Kaleb is looking a little tireder!

It was a beautiful day. Especially for Grays Harbor. Probably somewhere in the 80's, which is very hot for us beach folk. so, Kaleb loved this ice cream truck. We had to stop there for a cool treat! One of his coaches was walking for his team and offered him another. once again, the kindness of others!...amazed me.....
Someone brought a climbing wall, to earn money. $2 or $3 to climb. Kaleb said after his 24 hours were up he was going to climb it...He wanted me to as well. Fortunately for me they left an hour or two before! I had flip flops on...not the right shoes, otherwise, of course I would have climbed! HA!

I took this photo to show more of the difference of people out walking. do you see those bright pink stretch pants? The girl also had on high heels and was walking. I was amazed. Let me tell you those pants were much more interesting in real life! ;)

BUT, the better part....I think the couple in tourquoise were also 24 hour walkers, at least the boy on the right. He was probably about the age of Kaleb. I think he was walking with his mom. Do you see they are holding hands. They walked like that for a long time. I was amazed, that this young boy was walking with his mom in such a manner. Kaleb and I are close, and he will put his arm around me and kiss me and stuff, but he would not walk miles with me holding hands. I wondered if this family was walking for someone specific. But, I appreciated their display of love. A mother and her son!

Some friends came and walked with Kaleb, Curt Begley (LT) and Travis and Savvy. We appreciated that.

Around 12 or 1 we came back after Elijah's game. Kaleb was soo tired, He still had about 5 hours to go. It was very hot. I just couldn't part with leaving, so I asked Jeremy if he would let me stay and he could go home and do our list of things to do. He agreed....and so I walked the last 5 hours with Kaleb. I am so grateful I had that opportunity. I wasn't well prepared. In flip flops, like I mentioned earlier.

Earlier, Jeremy had traded shoes with Kaleb, cause his were in a little better shape. After I got there, I convinced Kaleb to trade into flip flops to let his feet cool down. That lasted for a few laps, maybe a few miles, but then he was back into tennis shoes. Amazingly, he did not get any blisters! I knwo he changed his socks a few times, and maybe changing up his shoes a bit helped. I don't know.

This isn't a great shot, but there was a group of people on one of the corners who always cheered Kaleb on every chance they saw him going around. He told me that early in the morning they asked him his name....and then cheered for him the rest of the day. It was awesome. There was nothing in it for them. They were just there to do good! I loved it! and loved them for caring about my son!

Kaleb's team was IGA, our local grocery store. The ladies that worked there LOVED Kaleb. They kept saying he was their hero. and were at his beck and call. Most of the booths had drawings for prizes. They had Kaleb do the honors. I think by then he was soo tired that he could have cared less. Doesn't he look tired!

Here are some other friends we ran into on the track. They are both volunteer Firefighters.

Another friend in black. We have about 1 hour to go! Kaleb is beat.

The ladies from IGA walked the last few laps with him. Jeremy and the kids came and walked with us as well. It was fun...but I think by then Kaleb was beyond caring. He was soo beat! But, he kept going.

At the end, they had all the walkers come to the starting line. All the 24 hour walkers came to the front of the line. The had everyone come together to walk the final lap together. When they started everyone out, many of the 24 hour walkers began to run. Kaleb was one of them. He was soo tired he could hardly put one foot in front of the other, but he ran his last lap! and I ran behind him, in my flip flops! I wanted to be there when he finished. We were soo happy for him! HE DID IT!

At one point he was very tired, and he was texting me, I think later in the morning. I told him IF HE WANTED to he could get an energy drink and sip at it. I was worried about it giving him a stomach ache. His response was: MOM :0! I told him he could get a cola...and he said he was doing this without caffeine! When I made the suggestion, I didn't want to cause I didn't want my 14 year old to decide he liked energy drinks. I guess I don't need to worry about that! There were probably about 15-20 other 24 hour walkers, but I would venture to guess that none of the others, or very few, did that race without caffeine! I was proud of my boy!

At the end, we found out Grays Harbor earned $400,000 for cancer research! with 14 % unemployment! that is pretty awesome. The Grays Harbor event is the largest earner in the west and the 2nd largest in the country! There was one man who earned $15, 000 on his own by making and selling pepperoni sticks at ball games and (I think) having jars at the local bars! We live in a great community!

Both mine and Jeremy's maternal grandmother passed away due to breast cancer. I had a cousin die too young last year from cancer. Gramma Jello lost a kidney last year due to cancer. and I am sure there were others we are not thinking of right now...but we walked for them! I wasn't there, but I guess the first lap is walked by cancer survivors! I imagine that is a tear jerker! but anyways, I was grateful to be a part of this event. I am grateful for a strong kid who is persistant in doing good! What a memorable weekend! I am sure we will be involved next year! Both Elijah and I are tempted to try the 24!
Thanks to everyone for your encouragement and support! We appreciate it.