By Sarah Kuper
Bennett Fisher and friend William Wells are three weeks into a 100-day hike on the 2,659-mile Pacific Crest Trail.
They are trekking from the southern border of California to the northern border of Washington state.
But Fisher and Wells aren’t just in it for the scenic views or bragging rights.
They hike for Julie.
Julie Grace Carroll is a Pell City elementary schooler with Rett Syndrome.
It is a rare disease in which girls develop normally the first year or so of life, then regress. They lose speech and motor function but they can still comprehend what is going on around them.
Since Julie was diagnosed four years ago, friends and family have rallied around her to create what they call Julie’s Army of Hope.
Fisher and Wells said they are foot soldiers in that army.
“She’s a special girl. You meet her and you just want to do something for her,” Fisher said.
As they hike, they are raising money through donations of specific amounts and donations of 50 cents per mile.
What’s more, Julie’s Army of Hope has teamed up with the Suki Foundation and the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Pediatrics to raise money for the Sarah Katherine Bateh Endowed Professorship in Rett Syndrome.
Sarah Katherine “Suki” Bateh is another girl in the area with Rett Syndrome. The endowed professorship assures Children’s of Alabama and UAB can retain top experts in Rett Syndrome to work toward a cure.
UAB and Children’s have pledged to match money raised by Hike for Julie and the Suki Foundation.
“The Suki Foundation is a great community partner,” said Mindy Wald, community development manager at Children’s. “Hike for Julie is amazing. These young guys are out there spreading awareness,” she said, “It is something unique that not everyone can do.”
In a phone call made from near Big Bear Lake along the PCT, Fisher said he and Wells are moving right on schedule.
“We are working through those early aches and pains. We have some blisters and sore knees but we are a 10th of the way finished.”
The Pacific Crest Trail is not the first multistate hike for Fisher.
In 2015, Fisher and his father, Henry, completed the 2,189-mile Appalachian Trail in the first Hike for Julie.
Henry Fisher worked with Julie’s father, and since he had always wanted to hike that trail, he made the hike serve a greater purpose.
Bennett Fisher accompanied his father on the hike, and together they raised nearly $25,000.
While Fisher described his family as a “hiking family,” before the Appalachian Trail, the father-son pair had never done any real backpacking.
This time, Fisher hikes with his friend Wells, a fellow outdoorsman who works at Alabama Outdoors. They, too, hope to raise $25,000.
Children’s has set up a fundraising page for them through juliesarmyofhope.org.
The hikers are documenting their journey and keeping friends posted through their Instagram account @hikeforjulie and on Facebook.
