Kilimanjaro - Part 1

The Power of Human Connection

Over the past two weeks, I have received countless phone calls, text messages, letters, E-Mails, and packages to my doorstep all with well wishes for my upcoming Kilimanjaro trek. The outpouring of love and support along this entire journey, which began in September of 2019, has been absolutely freakin awesome!

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the support I would receive on this journey. But that’s the greatest thing about wild, crazy, big dreams right? When they become your reality, they blow your damn mind with their magnitude, greatness, and impact. It’s the most fantastic thing to dream big, take action, and get to watch and experience your dream grow bigger than you ever imagined it could in real life.

Thank you to each and every one of YOU for making that happen for me.

The support I have received over the past year has come from near and far, from family and friends, from acquaintances and strangers, from so many different people and walks of life, all exceptional in my mind for stepping up to the challenge and joining this village that has been created. This village the has gotten me to over $32,000 raised for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and another $9,000 raised for my own trip expenses.

It takes a village to do epic shit. This village that has formed around me is full of, no doubt, nothing but the best…YOU!

Each and every person that is on this journey with me shares in common the willingness to say YES! Yes to making a donation. Yes to helping me organize an event. Yes to helping me make tee shirts to fundraise. Yes to sending me a note of encouragement. Yes to a training hike or workout with me. Yes to lending their ear and listening when I needed it most. Yes to donating their time and energy. Yes to helping to raise awareness for blood cancer. Yes to joining THIS crew that has rallied behind me and an organization and cause that hold such a special place in my heart.

When I depart for Tanzania in just ten days now, I will begin the second leg of this epic journey…the climb itself and all it entails. Hugging my two little loves tight before I head off to the airport. The more than 23 hour flight to arrive in a brand new place, on a completely different continent, in a world that I have only read about and seen pictures of. My arrival in Moshi, the village in Tanzania where I will spend my first two days before the climb begins. It is here that I will meet the others that will be climbing with me and that we will meet our crew that will be at the heart of getting us to the top. The ascent over six days to the summit and the descent over two days back down to the base. The blood, sweat, and tears and the physical, mental, and emotional push that will be required to keep going over the 45 mile trek up and down the beautiful beast that is Mount Kilimanjaro. The celebration with the entire group on our last day together. The transition of leaving Kilimanjaro and heading off on a three day Safari to receive the gift of getting to see Mother Nature at her finest and all the beauty that this Universe provides. And finally, arriving back to the United States two weeks and one day after I originally departed to once again hug my two little loves tight.

Life is funny like that, always ending up full circle.

When I think about my “circle”, my journey, I can’t help but think of all the connections I have already formed and I can’t help but imagine the new connections I will make along the way, the new people that will become part of this village, and the lessons I will learn along the way that I will get to bring back with me in my heart and soul to share as this life continues on.

I will carry with me this Flag of Honor which is nearly full, making me the lucky soul that will get to honor so many individuals affected by cancers of all kinds. This Flag will be in my pack for the entire 45 mile journey and will be unveiled at the summit to honor the names and messages contained and to honor the memory of my friend Harry who I climb for, and now my new friend Gayle too.

Gayle was one of those unexpected and freakin awesome connections that the Universe gifted me most recently when I opened up my Email a few days ago and saw I had received a message.

Gayle was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in 2015. After undergoing a bone marrow transplant and several brutal treatments to battle AML, Gayle came across the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Climb2Cure Program and decided to join their team to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. And in 2017, she did the damn thing and reached the summit! Check out her blog here to learn more.

Gayle reached out to me to share her story and to thank me for my fundraising efforts as well as offer guidance and advice as needed along the way. She reached out to ME…to thank ME for my fundraising efforts…I mean, WHAAAAATTTTTT!?!?!?! To think that a stranger would take the time to reach out to me to say thank you and to share their story is mind blowing. It is also one of the best, most amazing feelings ever and her message had me all kinds of emotional and, most importantly, in HAPPY tears!

Gayle made it to the summit despite many physical challenges as well as health challenges during her climb. When the guides told her no, she pushed back and said YES. When she was told she would not be joining the group on summit night because of her health challenge on the mountain, Gayle pushed back and said YES. I can and I will. She fought for her life and won and she fought for her summit and won once again!

One thing is for sure, Gayle may have been a stranger to me a few days ago, but now we are forever connected in spirit and I can’t wait to carry her with me, her name on my flag, and her will in my heart.

Human connection is by far the most powerful thing I have ever experienced. Through what sometimes seems to be the most random chain of events, we are connected with individuals we otherwise may never have met in this life. THAT is no accident. THAT is the Universe gifting us the blessing of a new and beautiful connection…a connection that we may experience for only a brief moment in time or a connection that, should we be so lucky, may stay with us for our entire life. In my experience, ALL human connections that I have experienced have been life changing in some way, big or small.

As Fred Rogers once said, “The connections we make in the course of a life - maybe that’s what heaven is.”

I do believe he was right.

And so I’m here to officially announce, as of this moment, this blog will begin to chronicle my journey to Tanzania and back…the travel experience, the ascent and descent of Mount Kilimanjaro, the Safari that will follow, the connections that I will make on this journey, the lessons that I will learn along the way and far beyond, and all of the challenges and beauty that I am set to experience.

I can’t imagine returning home unchanged.

I am so excited to share this experience with YOU. It is FINALLY here…holy shit!!!!

Here’s to the most epic adventure this life has yet to gift me. I am so glad to have YOU along for the ride.