Ruben Loya began walking September 14th from Riverside County to San Diego. It took nearly two weeks until he reached the Cancer Survivors Park on N. Harbor Island Drive.
Loya said he walked honoring different children battling cancer.
This is the second time the military veteran has taken part in such a walk. His goal is to bring awareness to the need of blood donations, bone marrow registrations, volunteerism, spiritual and emotional support for cancer families.
The entire journey was emotional for Loya and his wife, Liz. Their oldest daughter, 9-year-old Christina, suffered from liver cancer. Loya found out shortly after coming home from deployment in 2011. She eventually needed a liver transplant and has been in remission since May 2013.
Loya walked through rough terrain, triple digit heat and a thunderstorm. At one point, his body began to suffer. His feet began to blister and bleed.
Loya's wife tracked her husband's progress on Facebook. There, community members and supporters followed and helped Loya during his trek. Many offered food, water and prayers for Loya and his family.
If you would like to learn more about Loya's journey to raise awareness for childhood cancer, visit their Facebook page. They also have a Youtube page. Donations to help with the cause can be made at www.youcaring.com/carrytheircross
