A 70-year-old cyclist is showing that no distance is too far when it comes to ensuring your family is taken care of.
Ken Smith, who is originally from London, Ontario, began a cross-continental bike ride back in July that will see him peddle his way from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast, as part of a campaign to raise money for his grandson Jakob.
"As a grandfather, I just felt compelled that I had to do something," Smith said on a GoFundMe page that has been set up to raise money for Jakob.
The 16-year-old lives with a neurological disorder that prevents him from speaking and requires consistent care.
"The neurologist said Jakob would be dead by two and he would never walk, he would be in a wheelchair and he would never speak," Smith told BlackburnNews.com on Friday. "Well here we are, he just turned 16 and he does walk."
Smith said he worries that if something happened to Jakob's mother and father, the youth would be left in very difficult times. He said that was his reason for starting the GoFundMe campaign, which has reached over $9,000 of its $30,000 goal.
"The outreach and the help that I have been getting from so many folks has just been wonderful," said Smith. "I just turned 70 a little while ago and I'm feeling great and I'm just looking forward to seeing what I can do to raise some funds for my grandson, for security in his future."
Smith said he intends to use the funds raised during the campaign to set up a security trust for Jakob to ensure his future care and speech therapy is paid for.
Ken Smith stops at the Wallaceburg fire hall during his cross-continent ride.
As of Friday, Smith had crossed the border into Canada and said he intends to stay overnight at the Wallaceburg fire hall to eat and rest before hitting the road again. He will then make a stop in London this weekend to visit Jakob and his parents.
"There was never at any time that I would say to myself 'gosh I wish this thing were over,'" Smith said of his bike ride so far. "It's been very exciting. It has been a little bit more than I anticipated as far as endurance."
However, the distance is worth it for Smith.
"[Jakob] is so special in my life and his picture on my bike will drive and motivate me daily," said Smith.
For more information about Smith's Ride for Jakob, visit the campaign's GoFundMe page by clicking here.