One of the most fun byproducts of marrying my wife Kristen
has been that i've inherited some amazing friends. Two of my very favorites are
Drew and Julie Vetter. The four of us got along famously from the very
beginning. Kristen and Julie were great friends while at UNC-Greensboro and
Drew and I were the laid back studs that were along for the ride with our two
beautiful, absolute live wire, wives.
First Julie and
Drew lived in Raleigh, NC and we didn't get to see them very often because we
lived in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Once they moved to Charlotte,
NC we were able to see each other more often and it was super fun to watch our
children bond during weekend road trips. My family would go to Charlotte, NC
and the next time a visit was in order, the Vetter's would make the 100+ mile trip
to the Asheville area. Hunter and Reagan love their friends Levi and Ellie and
these road trips were becoming very special visits. Then, fate played a
horrible hand to the Vetter's as their little boy Levi, who was 3 at the time,
had been diagnosed with Leukemia. Just like that, the "c" word had
come back to strike fear in another family. It sure felt like it was my own family
again.
I lost my mother
Hillary to breast cancer in November of 2000 and my father battled prostate
cancer, among many other illnesses, and lost his battle a few years ago in
Colorado. It's fairly easy to see that i've taken to ultra running in
my late 30's to deal with the grief and sorrow caused by cancer. After Levi's
diagnosis, I again felt the powerlessness of the moment. Unlike most cancers
though, I knew that childhood cancer was beatable and I also had inside
information that Levi was a real super hero!
Right after
diagnosis, we grieved with the Vetter's. We cried together, asked why, wondered
about the future and overall, felt very vulnerable together. These were hard times
that strengthened our already strong and honest friendship. A friendship and a love. We shared a love for
the Vetter's and a unique understanding of the battle that lay ahead for Levi
and the whole family.
Well, battled
they have. LEVI IS DOING GREAT and there have been some amazing strides in the
year since diagnosis. We quietly acknowledge this Blessing but realize the
fight is far from over as there are still two years of treatments staring Levi
right in the face. But again, the superhero thing.
So, there we
are. Fighting, still crying and loving the Vetter's more than ever all while
stopping to smell the roses much more often. We have learned a lot through our
dear friends and their family battle against childhood Leukemia. The time has
come for The Ripmaster’s to provide inspiration to the friends who have stood
strong in the very pit of a cancerous storm.
You have to
remember, the Ripmaster way is to NOT back down from cancer. I've personally
fought back by raising over $75,000 for cancer research and support since I
started fundraising years ago while running 50 marathons in 50 states. I've
raised a lot of money for breast cancer research, prostate cancer research and
very practical local Asheville, NC breast cancer support and education. Now,
it's time to raise some money for my dear friends who are using all available
resources to bring their son back to health.
In an attempt to
help our friends, I figure it's really time to step up the #RunforLevi
game. On Friday, September 23rd, I will run well over 100 MILES from
Asheville to Charlotte to raise money for the Vetter's. Running long distances
is my way of showing support and i'm hoping we can raise enough funds for Drew
and Julie to make a difference in their financial battle. Long ago, I gave up
making financial goals for the fundraising that I do. Now, I simply ask you to
help if you can and if you can't, maybe you could share this with somebody who
could or even might. Maybe you could help secure a volunteer? There are many
ways to help.
As were just over
a month from Rip’s Run for Levi AVL to CHA, were working hard on the logistics
of the route which are more intensive than you might think. There are 3 things,
up front, that could be donated which would play a big part to the success of
Run for Levi AVL to CHA. First, we could use an RV for 48 hours. We will have a
crew on board helping me throughout the entire running adventure. The RV will
also be used to alert others to my whereabouts as there are only so many
country roads / state parks I can run. Second, we could use a few volunteers
for the Run for Levi crew. We will need pacers, drivers, navigators, etc and
could really use a couple driven, DETAIL ORIENTED people to volunteer their
time to be a part of an awesome team! Lastly, we could use someone who might do
some PR / Volunteer Coordinator type stuff.
We already have a
few fabulous news teams from the mountains and the city to document the start
and finish but that's never the whole story! This is going to be an epic
adventure and one that I sincerely hope culminates with me being able to run
the last mile with my family, Levi, his sister Ellie and his Mom and Dad, our friends, Julie and Drew Vetter.
Asheville -
Charlotte and all the small towns in between: You best be ready to support and
give! I'm running from the mountains to the city for a very special boy. Maybe
you'll join me for a mile or two or at least give me a high five as we run
through your town. This is my way of making a difference and I truly hope for
your support folks. More details and a fundraising website through www.giveforward.com
coming soon……
Sincerely,
A cancer hater,
Peter Ripmaster
Please also reach out on the Run for Levi Facebook Page or
the Instagram Page #runforlevi if you can help with the volunteering, crewing
or the support RV. I look forward to sharing this big experience with all of
you!! Get on the Run for Levi bandwagon now, while there is still time!!
WHooooo Whooooooo!!!!
