Enthusiastic AC/DC fan Steve McNeil says heB次元官网网址檚 feeling inspired to push even further with his marathon skate for AlzheimerB次元官网网址檚 research, after the fundraiser gained support from one of his rock idols.
The Toronto hockey referee says a $19,260 donation from the Australian bandB次元官网网址檚 guitarist Angus Young was a shock at first, but it has motivated him to consider extending his campaign for AlzheimerB次元官网网址檚 awareness with another stop.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 like to go down to Gander, Newfoundland and do one last skate in honour of our military families battling this disease,B次元官网网址� McNeil said in a call from Winnipeg, where he finished the seventh leg of his ice B次元官网网址渟kate-a-thonB次元官网网址� fundraiser on Thursday.
The 57-year-old postal worker has been skating for 19 hours and 26 minutes in each of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 NHL cities, dressed in AC/DC gear and playing the bandB次元官网网址檚 rowdy albums on his earbuds for the entire skate.
The annual fundraiser was founded in honour of his mother who battled AlzheimerB次元官网网址檚 disease before dying in 2013. But it took on another meaning after AC/DCB次元官网网址檚 rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young B次元官网网址� AngusB次元官网网址� late brother and bandmate B次元官网网址� was diagnosed with dementia a year later.
B次元官网网址淚 just thought it would be a really cool thing if B次元官网网址� I only listened to AC/DC,B次元官网网址� he says of the duration of the lengthy skate, which honours his motherB次元官网网址檚 1926 birth year.
B次元官网网址淚t kept me going through the wee hours of the night. A lot of air guitar.B次元官网网址�
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McNeil encourages Canadians to pitch in $19.26 to his cause, but he says a significantly higher donation arrived after a man approached him in Calgary on Saturday. The bandB次元官网网址檚 drummer, Chris Slade, has a son who lives in the city, and he brought his family to the rink after seeing local media reports.
Once he chatted with McNeil, SladeB次元官网网址檚 son offered to call up his father in Las Vegas for a video conversation.
A few days later, a surprise $19,260 donation was made to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario by the bandB次元官网网址檚 guitarist, McNeil says.
All of the attention sparked by AC/DC has inspired the skater to think bigger.
Already this year he expanded the marathon run past its original home base in Toronto, heading to Montreal, Ottawa before going to Western Canada.
McNeil says he hopes to add an eighth skate on the East Coast near the Canadian Forces Base in Gander, if he can find a sponsor.
B次元官网网址淭he vision I have is IB次元官网网址檓 in the bottom of the C-130 (Hercules aircraft),B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚 would skate with all the men and women that keep us safe around the world.B次元官网网址�
He also would love to see AC/DC rock out in a private rock concert for the Canadian troops.
Before he chases any further dreams, McNeil is winding down from his seventh marathon skate. He wrapped it up the way always does B次元官网网址� playing AC/DCB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淕one ShootinB次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� as the last track.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e got to get myself mentally prepared to do this each time. ItB次元官网网址檚 easy to do when youB次元官网网址檝e got that crankinB次元官网网址� in your ears,B次元官网网址� he says of the music.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something that keeps your blood flowing through your body.B次元官网网址�
David Friend, The Canadian Press
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