Mitchley set to walk to Durban to raise funds
Despite having 32 pins in his right foot, he will endeavour to walk 600km to raise funds for his organisation
With no plan and no idea where he will stay, Gregg Mitchley, founder of the Gregg Mitchley Foundation (GMF), will be embarking on a 12-day trek from Benoni to Durban on October 1.
As one of the benefactors of this year’s Mr and Miss Benoni pageant’s fashion show, Mitchley decided on a whim to walk across the country to raise funds for his foundation that focuses on the plight of children, the elderly and disabled persons.
A portion of the funds raised will assist Paralympian-hopeful Kirsty Weir of East London, to realise her dreams of participating in the 2024 Paralympics as a PTS5 triathlete.
“I fell in love with Kirsty’s story and her fighting spirit. As a long-standing athlete, Kirsty was making waves on the sporting field, fast becoming one of the country’s top ultra-marathon runners,” said Mitchley.
“Unfortunately, that all came to an end when she developed anorexia, battling the disease for six years.”
Forging ahead on the road to recovery and pursuing her love for running, she was diagnosed with neurological lupus in December 2020, with symptoms including debilitating migraines, fatigue and severe pain.
Hearing her story ignited a flame in Mitchley, who then decided that he will walk 600 km to raise funds for Weir as well as his various GMF projects.
“Kirsty’s story shows that if overcoming obstacles were easy, everyone would achieve the impossible overnight,” he said.
“Through GMF, I have met people who fight silent battles every day, whether it is financial, illness or emotional. For 12 days over 600km, I will push my body to the limit, attempting to walk 45 to 50km per day.
“I hope that this mad endeavour will prompt members of the community to contribute to the foundation, which would allow me to further help those in need.”
When asked whether he is physically ready for the impromptu walk, Gregg merely smiled saying that his mind and body are strong but his passion to help others will ultimately guide him through.
For more information or to contribute to GMF, contact Gregg on 083 380 1016, email greggmitchley0407@gmail.com or log on to www.gmf.co.za.
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