Brennan Besser is biking 3,000 miles cross-country to honor his sister and millions of others like her.
In addition to being a walk-on for the Duke Blue Devils, Besser started the Walk On! America campaign to raise money and change stereotypes for the IDD (intellectual and developmental disabilities) community. His sister, Jacqueline, is a member of the IDD community, and though she’s nonverbal and communicates with an iPad, Besser says she’s inspires him every single day.
“I’ve learned such unbelievable things from having a sister with disabilities. When you sister can’t speak and she uses an iPad to communicate, you learn patience, inherently.” he said. “I mean, she inspires me in the sense that she goes through a lot of adversity on a day-to-day basis, and then puts into perspective what I think my greatest challenges.”
Over the course of the summer, Besser and his sister Rachel will bike approximately 60 miles a day for 70 days, from Seattle to New York. Along the way, they’re stopping in dozens of local towns to hold basketball clinics for members of the IDD community.
And though the bike ride will only last one summer, Walk ON! America’s positive message about the IDD community will live on.
