Paw Paw Man to Ride all 2,492 Miles of Route 66 for Pediatric Cancer

2010 was not a good year for the Linder family of Paw Paw. Mark Linder's 2-year-old son, Kevin, was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma Cancer, a cancer that affects the nervous system.

Kevin, a fan of Pixar's Cars, had plans with his father to drive Route 66 together when he had gotten better. Sadly, the father and son wouldn't get that opportunity. Kevin passed in 2013. Mark still has plans to travel all 2,492 miles of Route 66 in memory of his son, but with a twist; he's going to do it on bicycle and he plans to make his trip count by raising money for two organizations that did so much for his family, CureSearch, and DC Strong.

Starting from Route 66's origin point in Chicago, Mark will set off on Friday, June 15th, 2018. He hopes to raise $24,920 (or $10 per mile). Learn more about his story and find out how to donate by visiting his website. There you can also keep track of his journey and see pictures along the way - and you bet we'll have updates. Best of luck, Mark. Your community supports you every hill, every blown tire, every drop of sweat.

Video: Learn About DC Strong from it's Never-Forgotten-Namesake, Dustan Colyer