Teen On First Leg Of 57-Mile Walk Carrying Brother On Back

DETROIT (AP) — A Michigan teen who last year walked 40 miles carrying his brother on his back to raise awareness about cerebral palsy on Friday started a similar 57-mile trek.

Hunter Gandee expected to complete about 15 miles by Friday evening after starting from Lambertville in southeastern Michigan's Monroe County.

By 5 p.m. the pair, followed by family and friends, had reached Ida in Monroe County. They planned to spend the night at a campground in Dundee. They are expected to reach Ann Arbor on Sunday.

Braden is in a harness on Hunter's back.

"It's been tough, but it's not as hard — so far — as it will be in the coming days," Hunter told The Associated Press from the road. "As we add on more miles, it's going to wear on us more, but we are prepared this time."

Hunter was 14 last June when he carried then-7-year-old Braden on his back for two days.

Cerebral palsy prevents Braden from walking without assistance. They traveled last year from their hometown of Temperance to Ann Arbor.

This year's "Cerebral Palsy Swagger" started Friday at CP Swagger Shipyard, a playground they raised money for at Braden's elementary school in Lambertville.

Members of Hunter's wrestling and football teams joined them.

The family said it is an awareness project, not a fundraiser.

"We want to spread the story about what we're doing and what they can do for people who have cerebral palsy," Hunter said. "These are normal people and they are just trying to live their lives, too."

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