Man Walks 100 Miles In Wind And Rain To Help Families With Autism
MALDEN (CBS) - When Rick Dauphinais heard about the financial struggles his friends were facing trying to provide the best care for their daughter, he offered to help. By walking. A lot.
Rick trekked 100 miles, or 400 laps, around McDonald Stadium in Malden as a fundraiser for Ashley's Autism Heroes, a non-profit named for Ashley Breen, a young girl living with autism in Malden.
According to Ashley's mother, Sheila Breen, and many researchers, the more help a child can get, the better. "From the day that your child is diagnosed, you hear about early intervention being such a key component and getting all the services you can as soon as you can," she explained.
But while some of those services are covered by insurance, others are not and the remaining expenses, according to Breen, can be a financial hardship. Breen says she's grateful for Rick's help. "I'm beyond words. It's such an amazing thing. He's just a regular guy doing what he can to give back and contribute and I think he's an inspiration to everyone," she said.
Rick hopes his efforts catch on and more families can benefit from Ashely's Autism Heroes. "We want to get the word out there and have people aware that these families need money. It's unbelievable what these families have to go through," he said.
If you would like to help, visit ashleysautismheroes.org.
