The Paddle for Patrick Stein

Patrick Stein is a good friend of mine. Patrick is 26 years old and is living with locked-in-syndrome. It is a condition in which a patient is aware but cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in the body except for vertical eye movements and blinking. His condition was caused by a massive stroke when he was a senior in high school that left him mentally alert and aware, but with almost complete muscle paralysis.

His friends are hosting a fundraiser called RodanFest. I cannot attend the event due to a family celebration for my dad on August 24th, so I figured I'd help them raise money for our buddy Pat Stein. I intend to paddle an inflatabe kayak from the Skokie Lagons 17 miles to downtown Chicago on August 18th. Patrick was an all-star swimmer in high school and his love for the water is the only connection I can really come up with for the Paddle for Pat... 

Thanks!

Interested in attending RodanFest?
https://www.facebook.com/events/2500152706711051/

Article about Patrick Stein:
https://newsarchive.heart.org/locked-in-syndrome-leaves-former-athlete-in-complete-muscle-paralysis/



Here is the route: