In Michigan, USA, a teenage boy named Hunter Gandee has a younger brother with cerebral palsy. Since his seven-year-old brother cannot walk on his own, Hunter began to wonder how he could help. Knowing that his brother loved to go outside and explore, Hunter decided to carry him on his back and take him farther than they’d ever gone before. This idea turned into a 64-kilometer (40-mile) trek. Carrying his 20-kilogram (44-pound) brother was no easy task, but Hunter says the experience gave both of them a sense of confidence and strength.
The following summer, in 2015, Hunter took on an even bigger challenge—he carried his brother 91 kilometers (57 miles) over the course of three days. What started as a simple gesture to show his brother the world soon sparked widespread awareness about cerebral palsy. The journey inspired others and helped raise $200,000 in donations. Hunter donated all of it to build an accessible playground at his brother’s school—one that children with disabilities could enjoy safely.
Hunter’s greatest wish is for medical advances that will one day make daily life easier for his brother. With every step he takes out of love and care, he moves closer to that hope—and inspires the world along the way.