Man Walking for Wounded Warriors Stops in Warsaw
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jennifer [email protected]
After watching countless news reports and seeing photos of injured soldiers returning home from war he felt compelled to raise funds for them.
Szpicki, 70, Rockford, Ill., is walking 1,000 miles, making stops at three 9/11 crash sites to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior project.
The purpose of the project is to direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.
Szpicki plans to make stops in Shanksville, Pa., where Flight 93 crashed on 9/11; the Pentagon; and New York City at the World Trade Center monument.
He also plans to raise funds for veterans and wounded soldiers along his journey. He began his walk on Aug. 31.
Szpicki is a retired Chicago policeman, serving for 25-1/2 years, and retired at the detective rank. He now lives in Rockford with his wife, Judy, and they have seven grandchildren.
As he walks, he has a sign attached to his back that has the website he is encouraging people to donate to for the Wounded Warriors project.
The website is www.911vetswalk.com
He travels with rain gear, water, and extra clothing. He stays with host families and at hotels along the way.
He said it took a year to talk himself into doing the walk, and then for a year he trained.
For the first nine to 10 months he did bodybuilding and weightlifting and then did powerwalking.
He said he wants to emphasize the journey is not about him, but said it is about the people who have been injured in war.
“God has been good enough and generous enough to give me this level of health at my age and I wanted to do something positive with it,” Szpicki said.
He walked along U.S. 30E Thursday, and stayed at the home of retired Chicago fireman and Warsaw resident John Greco Thursday night.
Today, he will journey to Fort Wayne and eventually into Ohio and then he will go to Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., and New York.
On Tuesday, he stopped by the Bourbon American Legion Post, who paid for his stay at Super 8 Hotel, Warsaw.
He also stopped by American Legion Post 49, Warsaw, on Wednesday, and they put him up in Ramada Plaza Hotel, Warsaw, Wednesday night.
While he walks he has a National Guard hat that he wears that was given to him as a gift by a National Guard unit that was being deployed to Iraq from Valparaiso.
Szpicki has never served in the military, but his two uncles have served, one in the infantry in the Army in Guadalcanal in 1942, and another in Germany in 1944 with the Army Ranger Battalion.
“I could not sit still watching these men and women who are injured brought home,” Szpicki said.
“Some of these soldiers who have been wounded will not be able to put a foot in front of the other because they don’t have them anymore.”
Szpicki’s journey began on Aug. 31 when he left from Rockford, and has trekked through Illinois and Indiana.
His goal is to walk 20 miles per day, and he is currently averaging 17 to 18 miles per day.
“Although I have never served in the military it is time for me to make my payment,” Szpicki said.
“Freedom is not free and I am doing what I can to make my payment for Americans to stand up and be counted.”
His family and wife, Judy, have provided logistical support on his journey.
Szpicki said the people of Indiana have been more than incredible.
“I let myself gain 10 pounds before I started the walk figuring I would use it as an emergency energy source, but when I leave Indiana I think I will have to go on a diet,” Szpicki joked.
He said the American Legion posts in Indiana have been hospitable.
Szpicki’s wife said she is proud of her husband for doing the walk and raising funds for wounded soldiers.
“It is something he has always wanted to do and has had a soft spot for the men and women who serve our country,” Judy said.
His wife will bring his car to him this weekend, and volunteers will drive the car down the road while he is walking.[[In-content Ad]]
After watching countless news reports and seeing photos of injured soldiers returning home from war he felt compelled to raise funds for them.
Szpicki, 70, Rockford, Ill., is walking 1,000 miles, making stops at three 9/11 crash sites to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior project.
The purpose of the project is to direct programs and services to meet the needs of injured service members.
Szpicki plans to make stops in Shanksville, Pa., where Flight 93 crashed on 9/11; the Pentagon; and New York City at the World Trade Center monument.
He also plans to raise funds for veterans and wounded soldiers along his journey. He began his walk on Aug. 31.
Szpicki is a retired Chicago policeman, serving for 25-1/2 years, and retired at the detective rank. He now lives in Rockford with his wife, Judy, and they have seven grandchildren.
As he walks, he has a sign attached to his back that has the website he is encouraging people to donate to for the Wounded Warriors project.
The website is www.911vetswalk.com
He travels with rain gear, water, and extra clothing. He stays with host families and at hotels along the way.
He said it took a year to talk himself into doing the walk, and then for a year he trained.
For the first nine to 10 months he did bodybuilding and weightlifting and then did powerwalking.
He said he wants to emphasize the journey is not about him, but said it is about the people who have been injured in war.
“God has been good enough and generous enough to give me this level of health at my age and I wanted to do something positive with it,” Szpicki said.
He walked along U.S. 30E Thursday, and stayed at the home of retired Chicago fireman and Warsaw resident John Greco Thursday night.
Today, he will journey to Fort Wayne and eventually into Ohio and then he will go to Pennsylvania, Washington D.C., and New York.
On Tuesday, he stopped by the Bourbon American Legion Post, who paid for his stay at Super 8 Hotel, Warsaw.
He also stopped by American Legion Post 49, Warsaw, on Wednesday, and they put him up in Ramada Plaza Hotel, Warsaw, Wednesday night.
While he walks he has a National Guard hat that he wears that was given to him as a gift by a National Guard unit that was being deployed to Iraq from Valparaiso.
Szpicki has never served in the military, but his two uncles have served, one in the infantry in the Army in Guadalcanal in 1942, and another in Germany in 1944 with the Army Ranger Battalion.
“I could not sit still watching these men and women who are injured brought home,” Szpicki said.
“Some of these soldiers who have been wounded will not be able to put a foot in front of the other because they don’t have them anymore.”
Szpicki’s journey began on Aug. 31 when he left from Rockford, and has trekked through Illinois and Indiana.
His goal is to walk 20 miles per day, and he is currently averaging 17 to 18 miles per day.
“Although I have never served in the military it is time for me to make my payment,” Szpicki said.
“Freedom is not free and I am doing what I can to make my payment for Americans to stand up and be counted.”
His family and wife, Judy, have provided logistical support on his journey.
Szpicki said the people of Indiana have been more than incredible.
“I let myself gain 10 pounds before I started the walk figuring I would use it as an emergency energy source, but when I leave Indiana I think I will have to go on a diet,” Szpicki joked.
He said the American Legion posts in Indiana have been hospitable.
Szpicki’s wife said she is proud of her husband for doing the walk and raising funds for wounded soldiers.
“It is something he has always wanted to do and has had a soft spot for the men and women who serve our country,” Judy said.
His wife will bring his car to him this weekend, and volunteers will drive the car down the road while he is walking.[[In-content Ad]]
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