On a hot afternoon in May, a group of hikers along the Appalachian Trail are making a pit stop in Damascus, Virginia. One of the hikers in the group is Brian Stanley of Honaker, Virginia.
"So my trail name is Fez," says Stanley.
He first began his journey along the trail in Georgia, with Maine as the end goal, a more than 2,000 mile hike.
Stanley said, "it is absolutely amazing, I think at some point in everybody's life, they need to come out and experience this. Even if it's just doing a section hike."
While hiking the trail is already challenging in itself, Brian is doing it with a physical challenge.
Stanley described his challenge saying, "I have a solid bone that runs the full length of my arm, I have three fingers."
Francesca Menaro is hiking alongside Stanley. She describes him as a great friend, "the first time I met him, I was in a shelter it's pouring down rain. He was the most friendliest one there and I was like, I like this guy, he's cool. Just very caring, just a whole heartedly good person honestly."
And hiking the trail is not the only goal in mind for Brian.
"While I'm out here, it's not about me," says Stanley.
He adds, "my mission right now is to raise a minimum of $15,000 for Shriners Hospitals for Children. When I was growing up, pretty much all my Doctors were Shriners," says Stanley.
Brian has partnered with Shriners International, and has become "The Hiking Shriner."
"Those who might have a financial hurdle to receiving the very best care. We're able to eliminate that concern, because of donations like the one he is raising," says Trana Downs, Director of marketing and communications for Shriners Children's Hospital.
"If I can just give back to one person, and make that difference. I will have accomplished my goal," says Stanley.
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