Frankie J’s ✨Never Give Up✨5K ✨Challenge✨

A message from Frankie:

On July 2, 2022, I entered my 1st ever 5K walk/trot/run. What makes this special is that I am a double stroke survivor from a AAA, abdominal aortic aneurysms. For the past 14 years, I have battled with excruciating chronic sciatica, which at times has consumed my every living moment. But I refuse to give up! I am determined to stay positive and want to inspire others facing similar challenges. Will you please help me by sponsoring my hikes?

My goal is to complete 5K races twice a month, to raise funds to send ten stroke survivors to Retreat and Refresh Stroke Camp (nonprofit) in Arizona. This incredible camp has given me so much support and fellowship over the years, and I want others to benefit from this awesome experience. Not only is it a place filled with natural beauty, but amazing survivors lifting one another up.

I’d like to share a bit more about what helped lead me to this challenge.

On September 30, 2021, I decided that I could no longer live on an opioid-based pain management regime. I decided to try CBD and that was a game changer for me.

One other game changer was on a recent trip back to my home town, Chicago, IL. I was staying with my grade school best friend. This kind of friendship makes life. I had just start to hike a few months prior and my gym shoes had a hole in my left foot. I asked my bff. How far is the ACE hardware? Why? I said I have to buy shoe goo to fix the hole in my sole. He said “dude I got you. I myself use shoe goo to fix my shoes. In 14 years I have gone thru 4 different good orthopedic. Each one failed me. In the end, I thought this would be the way I would gallop into my sunset. While applying shoe goo to the front tip exposed because of a left foot drop. I was going through a new pair of sneakers every 6 months till I found shoe goo. My best friend’s

sister came in to say hi and exclaimed Frankie J what are you doing? I said fixing my shoe. Of course you are.

The next morning, a brand new pair of Hoka shoes showed up, and from that point it was a GAME CHANGER. A shoe that gave the stability and balance while making me stand erect and made my walk so much better. Now I have a “hiking only” pair of Hokas.

As of last fall, I started hiking more and more. I found a great hike at Lookout Mountain. It’s really a great hike about 1.7 miles. Sometimes I hike up to the saddle then down the backside. It’s a gift to be able to do this, and I want every step I take to also be a gift to someone else! Thank you for supporting me, and remember…

NEVER GIVE UP!!