Inspired by his seven-year-old son, Caleb, who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Adam McEachern is taking on a gruelling 24-hour fitness challenge to raise funds for Kerry's Place and seeks fellow "heroes" to help him.
"Kerry's Place was a big help for us to figure out how this world looks to him," he said. "I'm just a dad, and I've been trying to learn what this is. I was shocked to learn that one out of every 66 kids in Canada will land somewhere on the spectrum."
That statistic has served as the inspiration for his Autism Heroes endurance challenge. For 24 hours from May 14 to 15, he aims to complete 66 cycles of the following exercises: a one kilometre run or walk, 66 pushups, a one-minute plank, and 66 air squats.
Participants can sign up for a two hour long block to get a workout in and help McEachern reach his goal. He is hoping to have 450 people taking part.
The event also aims to raise money for Kerry's Place, which provides services and support for children living with ASD. The goal is to raise $100,000.
"I just want every kid to be able to experience the great services of Kerry's Place that my kid has. It has helped us so much as a family in understanding and supporting him," McEachern said.
This is his second year taking on a fitness challenge to fundraise for the organization. Last year he completed several cycles of the Murph Challenge, a gruelling workout that consists of a one-mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups and 300 air squats and another one-mile run. He raised more than $26,000.
The event is held in partnership with the York Regional Police Association, as McEachern is an officer with the force. This year it will be held at the Newmarket Soccer Club, located at 621 Newpark Blvd.
You can sign up online to participate or donate to the cause. You can also buy an Autism Heroes shirt or hat to show your support.
