WTVT_Emily's Blog

Well, day one of the walk is complete, and the good news is we all made it! All three team members are still entacted, though I am the only one still awake at this hour. Between us, we had no significant injuries, and only a blister or two. All in all, not bad for day one.

The day started with a variety of different emotions. My team met up with FOX 13 reporter Tanya Arja’s team, including ‘Your Turn’ producer Anne-Marie Fagler and former reporter Giselle Guerra. Tanya did a couple of liveshots on Good Day, and it was great to hear the well-wishes from Russell and Anne before we got moving.

Opening ceremonies was short but sweet. Several survivors took to the stage to share their stories, and other stories were told about some of the walkers and why they were walking. It was very inspirational, and within minutes there wasn’t a dry eye around. What a great way to kick off the event.

Then came the fun—we took our first steps onto the beach at Sand Key Park. We made our way down Gulf Boulevard and back across the bridge into Seminole, finally rolling into camp in St. Petersburg near Tyrone Square Mall many hours later. 18.1 miles in all.

Along the way, there are stops set up for us every couple of miles. They give us a chance to refuel with Powerade and water, and of course, snacks. Our favorite by far: peanut butter and jelly on graham crackers. Yes, I’m aware it’s probably not the most healthy thing we could have eaten, but they were fantastic. We decided very early on that all three Superfoxes gave them two thumbs up!

Day One was a little overwhelming because I had no idea what to expect. Probably my most significant memory, though, would be the many faces we saw along the way. That included not only the faces of our fellow walkers, but also the faces of the many supporters that came out to see us. As we wound through the residential neighborhoods in Seminole, people came out of their houses to wave and cheer us on. Others had decorated their lawns with words of encouragement in anticipation of our arrival. Most of them were perfect strangers to us, and we all thought it was incredible how they showed their support for us and our efforts.

Another note-- Team Superfox owes a special thanks to one of our great friends, Jeff. He was wonderful enough to get us some pink thundersticks from the Lightning Game on Monday night, and we had them today to carry on our way. We were the only walkers that we saw with them, and they were a total hit! We could be heard coming from a distance, and you'll see them in most of our pictures since we couldn't seem to put them down.

Day Two is next on the list. We anticipate it will be a little longer than the first, and we’ll be traveling down the coastline. Should be a beautiful walk! I’ll let you know how it goes, of course! In the mean time, check out my photos from day one—they’re posted to my blog. And if you’re in Pinellas, come out and cheer!