84-year-old grandfather begins 75 Kilometre charity walk from Guelph to Toronto

At 84-years-old, Russell (Papa) Mackay suffers from diabetes, which has left him legally blind.

“I’m three-quarters blind. I can see, but I see through the fog,” he said.

On Friday Sept. 16, at 8:30 a.m., he began a five-day walking journey stretching 75 kilometres from Guelph to Toronto to raise funds for SickKids Hospital.

“I had my eyes done in the hospital in Ottawa, CHEO, and I’d seen all those little kids, and it really broke my heart to see them in the condition that they’re in,” he said. “So I decided that I’m going to walk.”

Russell started visiting an eye specialist at CHEO about 15 years ago when he lost his sight due to diabetes. He vowed to do what he could to help children in both Ottawa and Toronto hospitals.

A retired farmer from the Ottawa area, Russell walks around eight kilometres per day, and decided it was time to take his walks from farms to the cities.

“I feel great,” Russell said just before starting his walk. “It’s a great honour for me to do this.”

As for why he decided to walk between Guelph and Toronto, his daughter said that she lives in Guelph and the whole family consists of farmers.

“We're farmers, our whole family's farmers. I live in the Guelph area and went to the University of Guelph,” Crystal Mackay said in an interview. “So we thought, you know, farmers have a big heart for the people that support us and buy our food and also for kids at Toronto SickKids, so we thought you know what, let's go from farms to the city. He'll be walking from kind of the heart of agriculture to the heart of the city."

Papa begins his walk in Guelph. (Stephanie Villella/CTV Kitchener)

Crystal said her father’s motivation to help others comes from his wife who was saved by SickKids hospital at a young age when she was born lacking oxygen.

“So, that's one of the motivations, and of course, lots of family and friends are SickKids families, and my dad has lots of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, [he] absolutely loves kids,” Crystal said.

Organizers said they hope friends, family and members of the community will come out to support Mackay during his walk.

THE ROUTE

The walking route will take Russell from the Farm Credit Canada Office in Guelph, through Rockwood, Acton and Campbellville towards Milton. The plan is to walk about 15 Kilometers a day.

On Sunday, the route plan is for Russell to walk from Milton to Mississauga and onto Toronto the following day.

On Wednesday, he will finish the final kilometre in Toronto and end at SickKids for a cheque presentation.

The fundraiser has already accumulated over $8,000 in donations, around 25 per cent of the way to the $25,000 goal.

Papa poses with family at the start of the walk. (Stephanie Villella/CTV Kitchener)

"We’re so grateful to Russell and his incredible family and network for undertaking this ambitious fundraiser for SickKids” said Katie McHugh-Escobar, director of community partnerships at SickKids Foundation. “Russell's event shows the breadth of support SickKids has in the community. Whether you’re four or 84, fundraising for SickKids can only be limited by your imagination. Community events like these go a long way in supporting various priority needs at the hospital, so we can’t wait to congratulate and celebrate Russell once he completes his journey to Toronto.”

'KEEP THEM FEET GOING'

In 2020, Russell started walking in eastern Ontario for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO).

“With that kind of local support from home, we're very proud of Papa's like the hometown hero from the Ottawa Valley,” Crystal said.

Russell said his secret to staying healthy and for is by eating lots of fruits and vegetables, and keeping active.

“I’ll be 85 on the 25th of November. Keep them feet going, you just gotta keep going.”

With files from CTV Toronto.