It’s amazing to think about what can happen with a little faith and a lot of support.
This past summer, I introduced you to Mike McCastle, a serviceman in the Navy who set a big goal: to break the world record for Most Pull-ups in 24 hours. Mike completed 3,202 before being hospitalized. Though he didn’t beat the record, he raised about $10,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project.
A NEW VENTURE
Yet, Mike has taken things to another level just a couple weeks ago with an even more amazing effort. He flipped a 250-pound tractor tire 13 miles – that’s the equivalent to lifting 5 space shuttles in weight.
“Being in the military, it’s something I’m passionate about,” Mike said to the South Whidbey Record on Nov. 22. “I hope to simply bring awareness to the Wounded Warrior Project and their mission while testing my physical endurance, mental resolve and limits to my soul.”
On his fundraiser page, he says he wants to recognize heroes, giving
“much deserved awareness to the brave men and women who have sacrificed life, limb and much more than I would hope to anyone to lose,” he writes. “As a fellow brother in arms to these brave individuals, I am proud and honored to be of strong and abled body, mind and spirit to undergo this challenge.”
THE PASSING OF HIS DAD
Just a day before the event, though, Mike suffered a tragic loss. His father passed away.
“I felt like he was there with me,” Mike said to The Daily Herald on New Year’s Eve. “I was where he needed me to be, and I drew strength from that.”
“He’s the one who instilled that in me, to finish what I started, to never quit,” he continued. “This is what he would want me to do.”
Despite the cold, rain and wind, Mike flipped the tire from 4 a.m. to 2 p.m. a total of 137 times. He ended up raising about $700 in this effort. Mike said the money will be donated to WWP in honor of Alvin Decker, a veteran who lost his battle with personal demons.
Decker is the sibling of a friend, Mike writes.
“At 26 years old, Alvin was a bright flame that burnt out too soon and a kind spirit to be forever felt and remembered by those who knew him,” Mike writes on the fundraising page. “He was a veteran who served with distinction in the Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment most commonly referred to as the ‘Old Guard.’”
WHAT’S NEXT FOR MIKE
Mike sent me a note recently, saying he plans to have another even to raise awareness for Parkinson’s disease as well. It’s one of the factors that took his dad’s life.
He tells me it will likely be a rope climb for Parkinson’s research. He expects the fundraiser will be this spring.
What a leader.
After writing that blog before, Mike has been in touch with me. It’s pretty neat. His journey has been mentally and physically challenging. He’s eager, however, to educate and inspire folks around him.
“I’m just a guy who likes to tackle challenges, and I refuse to quit,” he said. “I’m driven by that. It energizes me. The fact that my effort goes towards a good causes that people can benefit from gives me purpose, a sense of accomplishment and it makes sense of the pain associated with these events.”
INSPIRING OTHERS
The tire-flip challenge caught the attention of Sarah Gallella.
Sarah, a veteran herself, brought her young sons who hugged and high-fived Mike when he finished a lap, as written in The Daily Herald.
“As a mother, I am always looking for interesting, positive things to introduce my boys to,” Sarah said to The Daily Herald. “I was impressed that Mike was using such a unique way to bring awareness to Wounded Warrior Project. He was a great role model on how to set a goal, experience a personal setback with his father passing, and still persevere using Navy values, honor, courage and commitment, all with a smile on his face.”
“I was really impressed that he could lift the tire,” said Sarah’s little boy, Edward who is 10. “My brother and I together could barely lift the tire.”
SUPPORTING MIKE
Mike works as an air traffic controller at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. He’s surrounded by courageous military men and women who do so much for our country. Whenever Mike puts forth these fundraising efforts – or anyone for that matter – I have every intent of sharing them here on my blog.
There are so many great things in our community. So many possibilities. Though Mike lives across the country, his passion is something that connects to us all. It’s so close to his heart and ours.
I’m a proud supporter of Mike McCastle. I hope you will be too.