‘Cerebral Palsy Swagger’: Teen Carries Brother With Cerebral Palsy 111 Miles From School To State Capital
Hunter Gandee has done a lot of walking in the 16 years of his life — and most of it with his younger brother on his back. Gandee’s 9-year-old brother, Braden, suffers from cerebral palsy, a group of neurological disorders that impair movement, muscles, and balance. This month, they completed their annual brother's walk of 111 miles, all with the goal of raising awareness about cerebral palsy.
On April 20, Gandee and Braden started out at their school, Bedford High School in Temperance, Mich., and walked all the way to the State Capitol Building in Lansing. Plenty of people joined them in their walk.
Gandee has been carrying Braden for miles on his back every year since 2014, and each year the miles grow. In 2014, he walked 40 miles to raise awareness for the disorder, and one year later completed 57 miles. This year is nearly double the amount, perhaps as a symbol that their strength and hope only grows over time. As shown by the Facebook post below, the walk began on a Wednesday and spanned across five days, ending on a Monday.
Cerebral palsy affects the brain region that maintains muscle coordination and movement. The disease often appears as early as infancy and children under the age of 3, affecting their ability to walk and move. Stiff muscles with spastic reflexes, dragging feet, or a “scissored” walk are common symptoms, according to the NIH. In some cases, seizures, hearing loss, or bladder issues may also be a problem. While cerebral palsy can’t be cured, most people can live long, normal lives and don’t have any intellectual disabilities as a result. Plenty of people have defied the disease and achieved incredible feats, such as the Chinese woman who writes creatively with her foot, or Braden himself.
