Portage man walking to capital to raise cancer awareness

PORTAGE, Ind. (AP) - Antonio Gutierrez put one foot in front of the other Wednesday morning as he began his 650-mile trek to Washington, D.C.

Gutierrez, 39, of Portage, left from the Portage YMCA parking lot, heading south on Willowcreek Road toward U.S. 30. He hoped to make Wanatah or Hanna by nightfall and Fort Wayne by Sunday.

Gutierrez, who is followed in a support vehicle by friend Justin Siemion, of Portage, will continue his walk east on U.S. 30 until they reach Washington on Sept. 10.

Along the way, he said before strapping his backpack loaded with extra shoes, socks, Band-Aids and blister cream onto his back, he wants to talk to people and the need for federal lawmakers to support two pending bills dealing with cancer. The two bills deal with quality of life and removing barriers from colorectal screenings. He's also raising money for cancer research.

"I'm ready to get going, just to get started. I'm excited to get out there and talk to people," said Gutierrez, who has been active in the American Cancer Society for years, participating in dozens of Relays for Life across the Region.

Gutierrez joked that he walked from South Haven to Whiting once, but he was a teenager then.

"I've walked hundreds of Relays (for Life) within the congressional district," said Gutierrez, who is the ACS's Cancer Action Network's 1st District representative.

He will arrive in Washington just before the ACS's Cancer Action Network's lobby day and summit, Sept. 11 to 14.

"We've been friends for a long time and I knew he was going to need a partner," said Siemion, adding his life has been touched by cancer and wanted to help Gutierrez raise awareness and funds.

Siemion, 35, packed his Toyota with bottled water, a cooler with ice, sandwiches and snacks. The two will camp at night or, they hope, to befriend people along the way who will take them in for the evening.

"I can't explain it," said Gutierrez's mother, Edna Benedict, nearly tearing up as he began his walk. "I am so proud of him. I think God picked him for something special in life and this is it. I asked God to be with him."

"I think it is great," said his dad Bill Gutierrez. "I hope he makes it. It's not an easy walk."

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Source: The (Munster) Times, http://bit.ly/2bHKxjp

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Information from: The Times, http://www.thetimesonline.com