Walker Spotlight – Mr & Mrs Peterson

With each year that has passed Walk Your AS Off has grown. Every year we add new teams and new walkers to our community. This year has been no exception. I’d like to introduce you to two of our newest walkers, husband and wife, John and Denise Peterson.  Both are members of the team ‘Making Trax’, which is captained by Ricky White.
How did you come to find out about the Walk Your AS Off?
“I met Ricky while playing online chess at Chess.com in our group called The Friendly Knights. We had been playing back and forth for maybe a year until one day I asked him where he came up with his user name EndlessTrax. He explained that this name came from his blog where he writes about the condition he has, and a support group he belongs to called Walk Your A.S. Off. That was the first time I had ever heard of this disease. Ricky asked me to join his team and gave me links, so here we are.”
Do you do a lot of walking normally? And has it been of benefit to you both?

“Neither my wife nor I have A.S., but we do have a few Osteo issues that walking helps alleviate greatly. We do walk frequently. Denise had a left leg amputation originating from childhood cancer, Ewing’s Sarcoma, when she was just seven years old. But it did not slow her down much! She had a setback five years ago when she fell here in the house and broke the same leg, resulting in another surgical removal above the knee this time. But she has come back strong, and we started walking together last year.

Here we are pictured at a 7k St. Patty’s Day event in Cottleville, Missouri, earlier this year.  Gathered around are a few of her family who support her 1,000%. Denise is a hero and roll model for everyone who meets her, including me. Walking is an activity that we enjoy doing together and with friends and family.”

Please join me in thanking both John and Denise for sharing their story, and joining us in the ‘Walk’ this year. Particularly, Denise who has shown us that you can role model and an inspiration, regardless of what problems you may or may not have.