WALK FOR A CURE
Donation protected
Wanted to say from the bottom of my feet thank you Henry,
Please see below.
Love ya brother...
My friends and family,
I want to relate a truly inspiring story that I had the privilege to have been a part of (albeit a small part). It involve a cast of characters and 2 departed loved ones. My brother in law Mike Adams, passed away over five years ago from pancreatic cancer leaving behind my wife’s sister Joan and their son Michael. It was quite a blow to our family. Last year to the day from this past Friday, my sister in law, Tara Cooke’s aunt Gail Villani, who was like a second mother to her, passed from melanoma.
Now starts the cast of characters part...My brother in law, Desmond Cooke (Tara’s husband and my wife Kathleen’s brother) was fishing in Alaska when Aunt Gail passed and immediately hopped on a flight back to make the funeral.
Desmond had been walking for fitness something like 6 miles a day, RELIGIOUSLY. Rain, snow, cold, heat didn’t matter to him, he was out there. (can you say OCD? Only kidding Des). One day, he decided he was going to do something to try and help others before they suffer from the terrible disease of cancer. He decided he was going to walk to raise money for the Lustgarten foundation for pancreatic cancer and the Melanoma cancer group in memory of his family members. His hair brained idea was to walk from Old Westbury NY, where Aunt Gail lived, to Montauk Point, at the tip of Long Island, Mike’s happy place and where we sprinkled his ashes. A TOTAL OF 111 MILES!
This past Thursday, Desmond began walking. My brother in law Bill Cooke, and his children, got up at 4:30AM and met Des at the starting point. At around 10AM, a large group of family and friends met him along the way where he was interviewed by News12. Tara had a few PB&J sandwiches ready for him which he woofed down after I bandaged up a blister on his foot. Then he went on his way, being trailed by his sister Joan Adams, who was his lifeline supplying him with moral support, water, food etc over the entire 3 day trip. I knew he would be hitting a wall both physically and psychologically toward the last few miles of the day so right there and then I decided I would meet him at Costco in Nesconset, near my house, and walk a few miles with him. His legs and feet were feeling the effects. A couple of miles turned into 7. I walked to his end point for the day. He was very thankful for the company and moral support. I was humbled. He just walked about 37 miles to Rt. 112 in Coram. The next day at 5AM Joan dropped him off at Rt 112 in Coram and he began day 2. His brother Bill met up with him and walked 11 miles with him. Way to go Billy! I met up with him in Hampton Bays after his sons Stephen and Brendan had walked with him for about 5 miles or so. I walked with him from there to Southampton (5 or 6 miles). He was walking a blistering pace of about 4mph. He was interviewed by Newsday reporters at his end point for the day. We went home and Kathleen cooked a great dinner for us. Yesterday, at around 5AM, bone tired, blistered feet and terrible shin splints, Des began from the previous days end point on Montauk Hwy in Southampton on his final 34 miles, or so, to the Montauk Lighthouse. I was worried about him. I met him in Amagansett where I surprised him. My plan was to walk a few miles, have Joan pick me up, rest for awhile, then do another few miles with him. One foot in front of the other. I couldn’t leave him. His sacrifice so inspired me that I kept going...for all 17 miles. If he could do 111 miles for this fundraiser and the memory of loved ones who have passed, I could do this for him. I did.
We were met at the traffic circle in the town of Montauk by a HUGE group of family and friends who walked the final 5 miles to the lighthouse where plaques were placed for Gail Villani and Mike Adams.
Desmond, and his crazy idea of walking 111 miles raised over $25,000 for these two worthy research funds. I am truly humbled and proud to have been there for him.
If you made it to the end of this looooong saga, and have it in your heart to donate, here is the link:
Walk for a cure – Old Westbury to Montauk lighthouse
In 2019, an estimated 1,735,350 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 609,640 people will die from the disease. Each year 15,780 children will be diagnosed with cancer. Everyone knows someone that has been or is currently affected by this horrible disease. We want to do what we can to help.
949 + consecutive days and counting!!!
It all started on December 31, 2016 as a New Year’s resolution to walk 6 plus miles a day to get in shape and I haven’t missed a day since. In 7 days I will be setting out on one of my most difficult challenges so far,please support .
In an effort to use my quest for walking and make a difference, I decided to walk 111 miles in 3 days to raise money for cancer research in memory of my brother-in-law, Mike Adams who lost his battle over five years ago to pancreatic cancer and my wife’s aunt, Gail Villani who lost her battle to Melanoma last summer. Both family members were loved dearly and taken way too soon.
I am setting out on my journey on August 15, 2019 to walk from Old Westbury, NY where Gail lived and walk to Montauk Lighthouse, Mike’s favorite place in the world. This journey is approximately 111 miles, over 250,000 steps, equivalent to walking 4+ marathons, and I plan to walk about 37 miles a day and arrive in Montauk on August 17, 2019, the weekend of the one year anniversary of Gail’s passing.
I am encouraging all that can participate and support me on my journey, to meet in Montauk at the famous circle around 3:00pm and walk with me as a team the last five miles to the Montauk Lighthouse.
I will do my part to “Walk for a Cure”. Please donate to this important cause and help me spread the word to raise money for a disease that has affected all of us in some way and for which there is not yet a cure.
All donations will be equally divided and donated in memory of:
Mike Adams to the Lustgarten Foundation to support pancreatic cancer research
Gail Villani to the Melanoma Research Foundation to support melanoma research
Thank you all!
Sincerely,
Desmond Cooke
Please see below.
Love ya brother...
My friends and family,
I want to relate a truly inspiring story that I had the privilege to have been a part of (albeit a small part). It involve a cast of characters and 2 departed loved ones. My brother in law Mike Adams, passed away over five years ago from pancreatic cancer leaving behind my wife’s sister Joan and their son Michael. It was quite a blow to our family. Last year to the day from this past Friday, my sister in law, Tara Cooke’s aunt Gail Villani, who was like a second mother to her, passed from melanoma.
Now starts the cast of characters part...My brother in law, Desmond Cooke (Tara’s husband and my wife Kathleen’s brother) was fishing in Alaska when Aunt Gail passed and immediately hopped on a flight back to make the funeral.
Desmond had been walking for fitness something like 6 miles a day, RELIGIOUSLY. Rain, snow, cold, heat didn’t matter to him, he was out there. (can you say OCD? Only kidding Des). One day, he decided he was going to do something to try and help others before they suffer from the terrible disease of cancer. He decided he was going to walk to raise money for the Lustgarten foundation for pancreatic cancer and the Melanoma cancer group in memory of his family members. His hair brained idea was to walk from Old Westbury NY, where Aunt Gail lived, to Montauk Point, at the tip of Long Island, Mike’s happy place and where we sprinkled his ashes. A TOTAL OF 111 MILES!
This past Thursday, Desmond began walking. My brother in law Bill Cooke, and his children, got up at 4:30AM and met Des at the starting point. At around 10AM, a large group of family and friends met him along the way where he was interviewed by News12. Tara had a few PB&J sandwiches ready for him which he woofed down after I bandaged up a blister on his foot. Then he went on his way, being trailed by his sister Joan Adams, who was his lifeline supplying him with moral support, water, food etc over the entire 3 day trip. I knew he would be hitting a wall both physically and psychologically toward the last few miles of the day so right there and then I decided I would meet him at Costco in Nesconset, near my house, and walk a few miles with him. His legs and feet were feeling the effects. A couple of miles turned into 7. I walked to his end point for the day. He was very thankful for the company and moral support. I was humbled. He just walked about 37 miles to Rt. 112 in Coram. The next day at 5AM Joan dropped him off at Rt 112 in Coram and he began day 2. His brother Bill met up with him and walked 11 miles with him. Way to go Billy! I met up with him in Hampton Bays after his sons Stephen and Brendan had walked with him for about 5 miles or so. I walked with him from there to Southampton (5 or 6 miles). He was walking a blistering pace of about 4mph. He was interviewed by Newsday reporters at his end point for the day. We went home and Kathleen cooked a great dinner for us. Yesterday, at around 5AM, bone tired, blistered feet and terrible shin splints, Des began from the previous days end point on Montauk Hwy in Southampton on his final 34 miles, or so, to the Montauk Lighthouse. I was worried about him. I met him in Amagansett where I surprised him. My plan was to walk a few miles, have Joan pick me up, rest for awhile, then do another few miles with him. One foot in front of the other. I couldn’t leave him. His sacrifice so inspired me that I kept going...for all 17 miles. If he could do 111 miles for this fundraiser and the memory of loved ones who have passed, I could do this for him. I did.
We were met at the traffic circle in the town of Montauk by a HUGE group of family and friends who walked the final 5 miles to the lighthouse where plaques were placed for Gail Villani and Mike Adams.
Desmond, and his crazy idea of walking 111 miles raised over $25,000 for these two worthy research funds. I am truly humbled and proud to have been there for him.
If you made it to the end of this looooong saga, and have it in your heart to donate, here is the link:
Walk for a cure – Old Westbury to Montauk lighthouse
In 2019, an estimated 1,735,350 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 609,640 people will die from the disease. Each year 15,780 children will be diagnosed with cancer. Everyone knows someone that has been or is currently affected by this horrible disease. We want to do what we can to help.
949 + consecutive days and counting!!!
It all started on December 31, 2016 as a New Year’s resolution to walk 6 plus miles a day to get in shape and I haven’t missed a day since. In 7 days I will be setting out on one of my most difficult challenges so far,please support .
In an effort to use my quest for walking and make a difference, I decided to walk 111 miles in 3 days to raise money for cancer research in memory of my brother-in-law, Mike Adams who lost his battle over five years ago to pancreatic cancer and my wife’s aunt, Gail Villani who lost her battle to Melanoma last summer. Both family members were loved dearly and taken way too soon.
I am setting out on my journey on August 15, 2019 to walk from Old Westbury, NY where Gail lived and walk to Montauk Lighthouse, Mike’s favorite place in the world. This journey is approximately 111 miles, over 250,000 steps, equivalent to walking 4+ marathons, and I plan to walk about 37 miles a day and arrive in Montauk on August 17, 2019, the weekend of the one year anniversary of Gail’s passing.
I am encouraging all that can participate and support me on my journey, to meet in Montauk at the famous circle around 3:00pm and walk with me as a team the last five miles to the Montauk Lighthouse.
I will do my part to “Walk for a Cure”. Please donate to this important cause and help me spread the word to raise money for a disease that has affected all of us in some way and for which there is not yet a cure.
All donations will be equally divided and donated in memory of:
Mike Adams to the Lustgarten Foundation to support pancreatic cancer research
Gail Villani to the Melanoma Research Foundation to support melanoma research
Thank you all!
Sincerely,
Desmond Cooke
Organizer
Desmond Cooke
Organizer
Commack, NY