Quite the event began yesterday. Jesse Johnson-Brower,  a military first responder at the Pentagon on 9/11/01, left Grand Rapids for his 454-mile walk in honor of the hero's of 9/11!

This year will be the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and Jesse will do his walk over 30-days beginning at the World Trad Center National Memorial in New York.

This won't be an easy trek, as he will walk to the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania before finally making his way to the Pentagon National Memorial in Washington D.C., for a total of 454 miles! Whew!

Johnson-Brower was a member of the Army's 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment and was the first to arrive after the American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. He said, "this walk is my way of honoring the unbelievable heroism shown by our first responders and service members."

The 9/11 events had such a profound effect on Johnson-Brower, that he, along with his wife, Tara Johnson-Brower, founded LifeGR, a nonprofit providing life saving trauma therapy, adrenaline therapy and relationship coaching to military, veterans and first responders.

The kick-off for this event was held yesterday at the Gerald Ford International Airport, with the help of the Kent County Sheriff's Office, Cascade Fire Department, Ada Fire Department, American Medical Response, Life EMS, the Michigan National Guard. In addition, the Kentwood Fire Department and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Police and Fire assisted.

Jesse, we're all very proud of all that you have accomplished and for what you are doing, and are with you all they way. You are our new hero!

 

Inspirational Quotes From Gerald R. Ford

 

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