“If you want to do something, do it. Put it in your mind, put your body to it. That’s what I did… I always wanted to walk the Bridge, and I’m going to walk it,” a determined 87-year-old military veteran proclaimed six days before commencing the annual event off his bucket list. Oozing with confidence and eagerness, Tom Kennedy has wanted to walk across the Mackinac Bridge for nearly seven decades.
A year and a half ago, Kennedy told his fitness trainer his goal to participate in the annual Mackinac Bridge Walk every Labor Day in Michigan.
“I told him I’m going to walk the Bridge, and he said, ‘OK you’ll walk the Bridge. I’ll walk the Bridge with you,” the Army veteran shared in an interview. In preparation, his trainer changed Kennedy’s exercise to focus more on endurance and balance, two skills the veteran would need for this Monday’s walk. Before the big walk goal, the two have trained together already for over four years, about five days a week.
“And based on everything I’ve seen so far, he’s absolutely going to do it this year. Despite whatever he’s going through, he’s going to come in here with a fantastic attitude and he’s going to do his best,” fitness trainer Adam Wray said.
Meanwhile, the entire gym family lauded the veteran and expressed how Kennedy inspired them in one way or another.
After over a year of preparation, is Kennedy ready for the five-mile walk?
“Oh, I’m definitely ready,” he said enthusiastically to the reporter. Moreover, estimating that the walk might take him three hours to complete.
It’s a custom of sorts for the govenor to walk the Mighty Mackinaw
as the LOSER she is, she never showed up.
With the proper Attitude, grit and determination shown by Armydog Tom
saving America, just might fall upon our shoulders