Disabled Veterans Floating The Mississippi For Cancer Research
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A group of disabled veterans didn't let a little high water scare them out of an adventure.
They're traveling 1,100 miles down the Mississippi River to help children in need.
Their pontoon boat launched Sunday afternoon in St. Paul.
"We're gonna try to do 40-50 miles a day," Army veteran Mark Johnson said.
The grizzled group will motor down the river to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
"We got a pile of money to drop off in Memphis when we get there," Johnson said.
So far, the group has raised about $20,000, but Marine Corps veteran Bob Sistok, who organized the fundraiser, is aiming for $100,000.
"I want the numbers huge," he said.
St. Jude helps children fight cancer - a cause close to Sistok's heart.
"My family has been ravaged by cancer," he said. "My dad's already gone. My mom's got stage four lung cancer."
With three of his buddies onboard, Sistok and crew hope their journey to the Gulf of Mexico will give the next generation a fighting chance.
Sistok says the group is paying for the expedition out of pocket. He says every cent raised will go toward St. Jude's.
For more information on the veterans' journey, click here.
