What Would You do to Help People and Raise Money for a Cause?

Help people, raise awareness and money for a cause near and dear to your heart. That is a tall order for many people, but not for Joseph Warne of the Macomb Township Fire Department in the Detroit Metro area. He's been there for 13-years and realized there was a serious need to help his fellow firefighters and first responders.

JOSEPH WARNE (He's on the left)

Why? Everyday firefighters put themselves in danger, risking their lives to save others but there is something out there killing firefighters and he figured it was time the rest of Michigan got on board to understand that Cancer is the number one killer of Firefighters. Cancer has claimed the lives of 66% of the career firefighter line-of-duty deaths from 2002 to 2019, according to data from the International Association of Fire Fighters.

Startling isn't it. Didn't know did you? I didn't. So, Joseph is putting his boots on the ground and planning to walk across the state to bring awareness to this deadly disease impacting this group of first responders.

Joseph started up Neighbors United after his friends helped him through a family crisis. The organization helps families in need, including firefighters battling cancer and their families.

Amazingly, Joe Warne has been putting on his full fire gear, which weighs about 60 pounds, and walking 140 miles from Macomb Township to Cascade Township to raise money and awareness since 2019. Joe said,

 "By the end of day one, I had really bad blisters on my feet and by the end of day four I had lost all the skin on the bottom of my feet. I almost didn't make it but just thinking about the families we were helping kept me going."

This year, he's doing it again and wants to help 24 firefighters and their families by raising over $100,000.

WALK FOR THE RED 140

If you'd like to learn about the walk or donate, CLICK Neighbors United here.