Amazing SuperHuman.

Kurt Fearnley

Now i don't know if you all know the Kokoda Track but to walk it is a HUGE thing where i am from.

Its 96Kms (approx 60 miles) over land, and that alone would put me off.

Wiki says:

The Kokoda Track or Trail is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs 96 kilometres (60 mi) overland — 60 kilometres (37 mi) in a straight line — through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea. The track is the most famous in Papua New Guinea and is renowned as the location of the World War II battle between Japanese and Australian forces in 1942.

The track starts, or ends, at Owers Corner in Central Province, 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of Port Moresby, and then crosses rugged and isolated, terrain, which is only passable on foot, to the village of Kokoda in Oro Province. It reaches a height of 2,190 metres (7,185 ft) as it passes around the peak of Mount Bellamy.[1]

Hot, humid days with intensely cold nights, torrential rainfall and the risk of endemic tropical diseases such as malaria make it a challenge to walk. Despite the challenge posed it is a popular hike that takes between four and twelve days (depending on fitness). Locals have been known to hike the route in three days.

Now, there has been deaths. Many deaths, (i mean after the war), when fit able bodied people have attempted to walk the Track.

Since 2001 there has been a rapid increase in the number of people walking the track. Six Australian trekkers have died from natural causes while attempting to walk the track. Four of those deaths have occurred in 2009, with two in the same week in April and another two 8 days apart in September and October. The deaths have sparked calls for mandatory fitness tests for all walkers before starting.

As popularity for walking the track has increased there have been calls for more regulation of trek operators with some operators taking as many as 150 walkers in a group. In response the Kokoda Track Authority has announced that from the beginning of 2010 tour operators must have a commercial licence which will "address things such as training requirements, first aid details, insurance and conditions for the porters".

But then you have people like Kurt.
Kurt was born without the lower part of his spine.
He just finished walking (crawling) the Kokoda Track.

He had people with him. But he mostly did it on his own.

He says:

Says Fearnley: "For me, a lot of my job is to race for Australia, but you need to pause and think what it is that makes us who we are. Australia has such a tie with Kokoda.

"The history of the guys who fought there has always intrigued me. It is also a chance for me and my family and friends (12 are travelling with him, and adventure company Kokoda Spirit is involved) to get together to experience something unique and challenging and positive. Kokoda is all about mateship and looking out for each other. Everyone says to me: 'You're mad, what are you thinking?"'

Fearnley puts it into perspective. During World War II, "people were crawling down there with legs missing, with limbs missing, with bullets shooting at them, with dysentery, with malaria, with an army on their heels - so whatever happens to us, no matter how tough we seem to be having it, people have had it far worse".

Amazing.
SuperHuman.

For more info check out here

Ps. From 2001 to 2008, he raced in 32 marathons, winning 22 and finishing in a place on the other occasions, including three straight wins in the New York marathon. He has pushed his body to the finishing line in a chair with busted wheels and broken frames.
Amazing.

Proud

I work in a call centre. Just letting you all know one more time, if you are new or forgot.

We are an Australian call center that is slowly getting smaller and smaller. I no longer have much to hate about that, to be honest.

Anyway, we have another center in Manila, Philippines. Now I don't know how much coverage the recent typhoonS (PLURAL) has been given, but i have heard a LOT about them.

A Facebook friend who recently moved over there from here, put up a few photos when the first typhoon was just starting and we hear a lot about it through work.

Now, I believe 100's have lost their lives and countless more have lost their homes and possessions.

That kills me.

While talking to a few of them on the phones, i have been told the following:

~ I have been off work for the past week cleaning the 12 inches of MUD and water from the first floor of my house. And it still not fully clean, but i had to come back to work.

~ I (and a few others) have been at work since Saturday, cause we couldn't get back home yet. (this was on a Tuesday or Wednesday) * Imagine having to stay at your workplace because you can't go home? I don't know if i could have lasted that long and stayed sane.

~ Lucky my kids moved to the second floor when the waters came, because otherwise, i don't know what would have happened to them. (the person was at work when the waters came).

And these are just a few examples.

Like i said, it kills me.

I could not imagine anything like that happening or what i would do or how i would come back to work, or what.

But i want to say WOW to those people.

Work decided that we would take a donation to pass on to the people who need it over there. They also decided that what the people donated, the company would match, dollar for dollar.

Now we did a collection on a Wednesday, (the day BEFORE payday when most people are broke as), and we got an AMAZING amount. They then did a collection on Thursday and i think Friday, and then this email was sent out to everyone in the company.

URGENT DISASTER RELIEF FOR MANILA

All,

Manila call centres have been impacted by the floods caused by Typhoon Ondoy. Flood waters of 8 metres and 110kph winds have wreaked havoc on manila and surrounding provinces. The typhoon has resulted in fatalities, injuries and homes lost, affecting an estimated 500,000 people. In many cases the flood waters rose at such a fast rate that few people had time to grab even bare necessities or valuables.

At present we are aware of over 250 people who work within the wider work partner groups who have lost their homes and all of their belongings. Some of those victims are part of our Eastwood team.

What are we doing to help?

Being part of the wider work family, Work are providing immediate funds and assistance to all of our partners including Eastwood, who have lost their homes. This will help them with basic essentials such as food, clothing and ensuring they have temporary shelter. We’ve also developed the Manila Flood Appeal, working in conjunction with World Vision to ensure that any donations you may choose to offer get to those most affected (and get there quickly). We’re working with our partners at Work and in Manila to work out what else people may need. For now, cash is the most appropriate way to give.

What the Australia team (that’s you guys) achieved

I appreciate it’s a bit of a tough time for some families, therefore I am so proud to announce that to date, you have collectively donated to the Eastwood crew a total of:

• $2,200, collected by Chris’s team here in Oz.**

• The company will match dollar for dollar each & every dollar donated by you (we’ll wait til the final count & let you know how much that ends up being)

• Donations will go directly to the staff who are most in need

You’ll be kept updated on the progress of our Eastwood colleagues as news comes through.

Thank you,

Peter

****Names have been changed and the company name has been removed too. Sorry, but gotta keep it private***

Now, normally when we do a collection, even on a payday, we dont get ANYWHERE NEAR THAT AMOUNT. The most that i know that was collected was $400 when we wanted to get the customer service boss a Wii for his birthday. And there was a lot of guilt given to get that much!!

I have to say, when we need it, my work family really pulls it togethor and that makes me super proud to be part of that.

*Just so you know, our building over in Manila has a place for the workers to sleep normally, as some people travel from all over the country side (like a leyland brother), to get to work, so rather then travel home at like 11pm (when work ends), they can just stay there til the next day.

** This figure turned out to be wrong, it was almost $1500, but i think they decided to get the company to meet the amount that was emailed. But when doubled, that $1500 still equals 126,090.90 Philippine Pesos. Still a HUGE wow in my head.