ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — Game day balls for the Michigan vs. Michigan State game have now been delivered to Ann Arbor.
The big game is a little more than 24 hours away. Friday ROTC cadets from both universities ran 64 miles from East Lansing to deliver the game balls as a part of Alex's Great State Race.
The race started in 2014. It's in honor of late MSU student Alex Powell who died after a battle with a rare, aggressive cancer. At the time, Powell was a freshman at MSU and heavily relied on the university's resource center for persons with disabilities. At the same time, he was also receiving treatment for his cancer at U of M. After he died his parents started the race which raises money for disability resource centers at each school.
This year, the race returned for the first time after a 2 year hiatus. Dozens of athletes and alumni with disabilities from U of M and MSU joined ROTC cadets to finish the tail end of the journey.
"This is my first time being a part of the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry and it's super exciting," said Paralympic Wheelchair Rugby player Chuck Aoki.
The athletes joined the cadets near Dexter Ann Arbor Rd and Zeeb Rd. The journey to the final spot at Angell Hall on U of M's campus was about 5 miles.
"Regardless of disability type: apparent or not apparent, visible or invisible, we want to make sure that everyone knows each student deserves to have equitable access to their collegiate experience," said Feranmi Okanlami who is the Director of Student Accessibility & Accommodation Services at U of M.
Okanlami, who uses a wheelchair, handcycled the 5 mile journey. State Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein, who is blind, ran closely behind him. He was guided by two ROTC cadets.
"This is one of those things where it brings out the best in everyone," said Bernstein. "For people with disabilities, for people who struggle in many situations our bodies may be infirmed but we have the most powerful of spirits and souls and if you allow the spirit to guide the body anything and everything is possible."
Race organizers say the event has generated over $300,000 since its inception. The money goes directly to each university to help students with disabilities in the future.
"I was a student athlete and so I benefited directly from the office and I’m just super excited to have this opportunity to give back," said former U of M student Chris Kelley who participated in the race Friday.
Both schools say the event has significantly increased their funding capabilities.
"One of the things people don’t always realize is how quickly disabilities can become part of life’s story and so the presence of these programs is sometimes unexpectedly helpful to people," said Mike Hudson who is the Director of Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities at MSU.
The event ended with a ceremony where Powell's parents were presented with a $5,000 check.
