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YOU WANT TO TO BE OUR
NEXT "LIVE IN THE D" WINNER
JUST FOLLOW OUR "LIVE IN THE
D" Facebook PAGE.
A CONNECTION BETWEEN TWO
MAJOR CITIES WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THE CITY OF DETROIT
AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN,
TEXAS.
WE WANT YOU TO MEET THE
MEN BUILDING THIS BRIDGE
BETWEEN THE TWO.
THREE MEN WHO ARE ABOUT TO
SET OUT A SOUTHERNY TO RAISE
MONEY AND TO HELP THREE
DIFFERENT LOCAL CHARITIES
REALLY THREE FAMILIES AND
PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP.
THEY'RE KICKING OFF THIS
RIDE FROM RIGHT HERE
DOWNTOWN DETROIT AND WDIV
AND THERE'S A CROWD GATHERED
AS YOU CAN SEE WHO ARE VERY
EAGER TO SEND THEM OFF IN A
BIG WAY.
YES, THREE CHEERING RIGHT
OUTSIDE OF OUR STUDIO.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A CLOSER
LOOK AT THEM AND TALK TO THE
GUYS BEHIND THIS IN JUST A
MOMENT.
BUT FIRST PHOTOGRAPHER ALEX
ATWELL SHOWSUS THEIR MISSION
IS SOMETHING THAT'S UNIQUELY
DETROIT.
WE HAVE TO REALIZE WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON
WITH THE PERSON THAT'S
SITTING NEXT TO US.
WHEN WE'RE RIGHT IN THE
MIDST OF A SURGERY THE
HOSPITALIZATION OR SOMETHING
LIKE THAT IT'S HARD.
AND THAT PERSON MIGHT BE
ONE SITUATION AWAY FROM
NEEDING OUR HELP.
Reporter: BUT THEN WE
HAVE BREAKS IT FROM WHERE
YOU CAN SEE THEY SEEM NORMAL
AND THEY'RE PLAYING AND
THEY'RE FINE AND YOU ALMOST
FORGET A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE.
OKAY THIS IS JACOB.
HE'S 10.
CARTER HE'S 5.
AND WESTON HE IS 3.
I'M JACOB VERCAMMEN I
HAVE CONGENITAL HEART
CONDITION.
WE HAVE FIVE BOYS AND
THREE OF THEM HAVE
CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE.
IT MEANS LIKE I HAVE A
HALF A HEART ON MY LEVEL THE
SIDE OF MY HEART IS DIDN'T
DEVELOP.
BETWEEN THE THREE OF THEM
THEY'VE HAD SEVEN OPEN HEART
SURGERIES.
THE BIKE RIDER PEOPLE.
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS
SOMETHING THAT CAN BRING A
COMMUNITY TOGETHER.
I AM RIDING MY BICYCLE
FROM DETROIT TO AUSTIN,
TEXAS WITH TWO OF MY
FRIENDS.
WHICH IS CRAZY I CAN'T
EVEN IMAGINE.
1600+ MILES OH, MY GOSH.
Reporter: COLIN DADE AND
TYLER ARE RIDING BIKES TO
DETROIT TO AUSTIN, TEXAS, TO
RAISE MONEY FOR THREE
CHARITIES.
WE CHOSE CHIVE CHARITIES
THE COALITION OF DWARF
ADVOCACY WHICH IS RUN BY
DETROIT ACTOR MARTIN CLUBBA
AND ALSO HEARTS.
MY BOY'S CONDITION AND IT
JUST DOESN'T GET ENOUGH
AWARENESS.
IT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH FUN
DAY, IT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH
PEOPLE KNOWING WHAT IT'S ALL
ABOUT.
TELL US ABOUT THIS FAMILY
HERE?
THAT WOULD BE ROUGH.
BECAUSE I PROBABLY START
CRYING.
LIKE THEY'RE MY EVERYTHING.
THE BOYS ARE A HUGE PART
OF WHAT WE'RE DOING AND IT'S
OUR INSPIRATION TO KEEP
GOING.
OH, MY GOSH.
THEY HAVE LITERALLY BECOME
LIKE APART OF OUR FAMILY.
TO SEE SOMEONE DO
SOMETHING SO SELFLESS FOR
SOMEONE ELSE.
THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW US,
YOU KNOW, THEY JUST HEARD A
STORY ABOUT US AND SAW SOME
PICTURES AND THEN DECIDED
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT WE
WANT TO DO.
IT'S THE BOYS.
WE'RE GOING HAVE PICTURES OF
THEM ON THE BIKES.
TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT
DOESN'T KNOW YOU CARE THAT
MUCH IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S
NICE.
I'M GOING TO GET A NEW
HEART REPLACEMENT.
I'M PRETTY NERVOUS BY THE.
TO SEE THEIR FACES TO
KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE,
YOU KNOW A HEART TRANSPLANT
YOU KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO NOT WORRY ABOUT
WHERE THEIR NEXT BILLS ARE
COMING FROM BECAUSE WE'LL BE
ABLE TO HELP THEM OUT.
IT MEANS A LOT.
I'M REALLY THANKFUL FOR THEM
AND HAPPY BECAUSE THEY CAN
SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES AND
STUFF.
JOINING US RIGHT NOW LIVE
IN OUR STUDIO DANE, COLIN,
TYLER.
THREE GUYS WHO ARE REALLY
HEROES TO THAT FAMILY AND I
GOT TO TELL YOU YOU'RE
INSPIRING US THAT'S FOR
SURE.
THAT'S THE GOAL.
GET YOUR BIKE SHORTS
LET'S GO.
COME WITH US.
YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE ME
IN SHORTS.
THIS IS PHYSICALLY A
PRETTY GRUELING UNDERTAKING
THAT YOU ARE DOING.
HOW MANY MILES WILL YOU RIDE
A DAY HOW IS THIS ALL GOING
TO BORK.
IT WORKS YOU TO THE ABOUT
80 MILES A DAY ON AVERAGE.
SO IT'S THERE'S A LITTLE
GIVE AND TAKE ON EACH DAY.
THE STRETCH BETWEEN
INDIANAPOLIS AND OKLAHOMA
CITY.
WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO
PREPARE OTHER THAN THE PLATE
OF SPAGHETTI.
WE RIDE PETTY CABS
DOWNTOWN -- PEDDIE CABS
DOWNTOWN WE CART PEOPLE
AROUND THAT'S BEEN MY
TRAINING FOR PAST COUPLE
YEARS ON TOP OF SOME OF THE
OTHER THINGS I'VE DONE.
INCREDIBLE.
COLIN, TALK ABOUT HOW THIS
ALL CAME ABOUT?
IT WAS VERY ORGANIC.
WE WERE HAVING LUNCH AT OUR
ONE OF OUR LOCAL FAVORITE
RESTAURANTS AND WE JUST KIND
OF TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE
POSITIVE THINGS THAT WE'VE
BEEN DOING CHARITIWISE
SEPARATELY AND THEN SOME OF
THE NEGATIVE THINGS.
IS THIS THE RIGHT DAY TO
THROWEN EVENT, IS THIS THE
RIGHT COST.
WE JUSTIFY KIND OF CAME AND
SAID OUR SOCIETY IS VOYEURS.
WE WATCH EACH OTHER ON
SOCIAL MEDIA WANT TO BE
APART OF IT IN SOME WAY.
SO WE CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA
AND WE'RE THROWING EVENTS
ALONG THE WAY.
WE HAVE CITIES LIKE TLEAT IS
RAISING MONEY FOR US.
WE HAVE OKLAHOMA CITY THAT
HAS JUST RAISED 3,000
DOLLARS.
IT HAS BEEN INSPIRING THAT
THIS COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE
FALL IN LOVE WITH THE
CHARITIES THAT WE'RE DOING
AND WANT TO BE APART OF WHAT
WE'RE DOING.
IT KEEPS US FROM WANTING TO
GO FURTHER.
WHAT'S THE STORY WITH THE
SOCKS?
SUPERHEROES TO US.
YOU'RE REALLY REPRESENTING
WELL THERE?
TO BE HONEST AT THE END
OF THE DAY IT'S ALL ABOUT
MICHAEL AND THE BOYS AND THE
KIDS OUT THERE.
WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE FUN.
THAT'S WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT
IT.
I'M NEXT TO THESE TWO GUYS
WE'RE GOING HAVE A BLAST IT.
SOUNDS LIKE IT'S GOING TO
BE A BLAST.
YOU HAVE A HUGE CART
OUTSIDE.
ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO DONATE,
WANTS TO FOUL AS YOU TAKE
THIS JOURNEY IS WHAT SHOULD
THEY DO.
PLEASE VISIT DETROIT TO
AUSTIN.COM.
YOU CAN START YOUR OWN TEAM
AND DO A LITTLE FUND-RAISER
AT YOUR WORK OR WITH YOUR
FRIENDS OR IN YOUR
COMMUNITY.
WE ARE RAISING MONEY FOR
CHARITIES WITH THIS
BEAUTIFUL FAMILY HEALING
VERCAMMEN HEARTS.
YOU WILL BE LEAVING HERE
IN A COUPLE SECONDS.
LITERALLY.
WE WILL LOSE THAT CONNECTION
THAT THIS FAMILY HAS WITH
YOU.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL
PLANNED FOR THE BOYS DON'T
YOU?
WE DEFINITELY DO.
BUT FIRST WE WANTED TO
RECOGNIZE MICHAEL.
MICHAEL COME UP HERE,
PLEASE.
MICHAEL IS A BEAUTIFUL GIRL
WITH HER FRIEND CHARLES
NORRIS NO RELATION TO CHUCK
NORRIS, AND SHE HEARD ABOUT
WHAT WE ARE DOING SHE WANTED
TO HELP OUT.
SO SHE RODE WHERE DID YOU
RIDE FROM?
FROM NOVI TO DETROIT.
SO SHE NOVI TO DETROIT AND
SHE ADDED IN STAGES SHE
INSPIRED A COMMUNITY WHERE
SHE'S RAISED OVER $3,000.
AND SHE'S STILL TAKING
DONATIONS SHE'S STILL GOING
TO RIDE WITH CHARMS.
LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR HER.
GOOD JOB, MICHAEL.
AMAZING SUPERINSPIRING.
TALK TO US ABOUT THIS FAMILY
BECAUSE HAVE YOU MADE A
SPECIAL CONNECTION WITH ALL
THE BOYS.
WE WANT TO GIVE HER
SOMETHING REAL QUICK.
SHE'S A HUGE PIRATES FAN SO
IF YOU WANT TO OPEN THAT UP
REAL QUICK, ACTOR MARTIN
CLUBBA WHO IS PIRATES OF THE
CARIBBEAN SENT HER A PRESENT
AN AUTOGRAPHED PICTURE TO
MICHAEL AND CHARLES
THE FAMILY WE WANTED TO BE
APART OF THAT.
SO THE HARDEST THING FOR US
IS WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE
THERE FOR JACOB'S BIRTHDAY.
HOW OLD ARE YOU TURNING?
11.
SO SUPERSAD SO WE GOT HIM AN
EARLY BIRTHDAY PRESENT IF
YOU WANT TO PULL OUT THE
CARD THERE AND READ WHAT IT
SAYS?
THE CARD IN YOUR HAND, BUD?
YOU'RE COMING WITH US.
YOU'RE COMING WITH US
WE'RE HAVING A BIRTHDAY
PARTY FOR YOU IN TOLEDO
TONIGHT?
OH, WOW.
THANK YOU!
SO WE'RE SUPEREXCITED AND
WE LOVE THIS FAMILY WE LOVE
ALL OUR SUPPORTERS AND
EVERYBODY WHO HAS BEEN APART
OF OUR JOURNEY BUT WE'RE NOT
DONE YET.
WE JUST RAISED OVER $21,000
AND WE WANT TO KEEP GOING SO
PLEASE SUPPORT US FOLLOW US
ON SOCIAL MEDIA DETROIT2AUSTIN.
I THINK YOUR RIDE IS ABOUT
TO START.
QUESTION FOLLOW YOU ON
TWITTER.
TWITTER, Facebook,
EVERYTHING WE'RE OUT THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
WE NEED THAT BACK BECAUSE
YOU GOT GET GOING.
YEAH.
HAVE A SAFE RIDE.
FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU.
NOW, YEAH, GO AHEAD THE
FIRST LEG IS TOLEDO.
WE CAN FOLLOW THEM ON-LINE
IN SOCIAL MEDIA.
WHAT'S THE HASH TAG.
DETROIT2AUSTIN.
GOT TO GET THE HELMETS ON.
THE FIRST LEG IS HOW LONG?
66 MILES.
I'M GOING TO GRAB JEN OVER
HERE.
IF YOU CAN JUST GIVE US SOME
PERSPECTIVE?
YOU HEAD OUT.
THE RELATIONSHIP?
GODSPEED.
THE RELATIONSHIP THAT
THEY'VE BUILT WITH YOUR
BOYS?
OH MY GOODNESS.
THEY HAVE DONE LOTS OF
EVENTS WELFARE THEM.
TACO NIGHT.
JUST PEDDIE CAB DRIDS AROUND
DETROIT THAT DIDN'T TAKE
MUCH MONEY JUST THOUGHT AND
PLANNING.
I GUESS YOU GOT GO WITH
THEM, TOO.
NEW BIG BROTHERS.
I'M REALLY EXCITED.
WE'LL LET YOU GO.
HAVE FUN JACOB.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY.
HAVE A SAFE TRIP.
ALL RIGHT, SO THERE THEY
GO.
GOING OUT THE BACKDOOR HERE
ONTO HOWARD STREET THEY WILL
START OFF ON THIS 66 MILE
FIRST LEG OF THEIR JOURNY
THAT WILL TAKE THEM ALL THE
WAY TO AUSTIN.
I LOVE THE IDEA WE'RE NOT
JUST TALKING TWO CITIES
COMING TOGETHER BUT MAYBE AS
MANY AS A DOZEN.
THEY TALKED TO PLACES ABOUT
SEATTLE THAT ARE JOINING IN
THE EFFORT.
THEY'RE MAKING THE DONATIONS
AND SO IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR REALLY AN ENTIRE NATION
TO BE APART OF THIS.
HOW ORGANICALLY IT STARTED
IT'S JUST PRETTY AWESOME.
THERE GOES THE FAMILY.
AND YEAH, JACOB DO YOU THINK
HE'S A LITTLE BIT EXCITED HE
GETS A BIRTHDAY PARTY EARLY
TONIGHT IN TOLEDO.
HOW ABOUT HOW THEY
INSPIRE LITTLE MICHAEL TO
RIDE HER BIKE AND TAKE A
LITTLE JOURNEY OF HER OWN AS
WELL.
$3,000 THAT LITTLE GIRL
RAISED.
DID YOU SEE THE EXPRESSION
ON HER FACE THE GUY FROM THE
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
THAT SHE GOT ONE OF THE IT'S
HIS CHARITY THAT THEY'RE
RIDING FOR.
SHE GOT AN AUTOGRAPHED
PICTURE BOY DID HER FACE
LIGHT UP.
WELL, I THINK IT'S JUST A
SPECIAL DAY FOR THAT FAMILY
THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT
THERE.
AND FOR SOME BOYS THAT ARE
DEALING WITH SOMETHING THAT
YOU CAN'T SEE CONAGAINTIVE
HEART FAILURE BUT WHAT
CONSCIOUS CONGENITAL HEART
FAILURE.
SEVEN OPEN HEART SURGERY.
A LOT OF STRENGTH RIGHT
THERE IN THAT FAMILY.
THEY'RE GOING TO JUMP INTO
THE VEHICLE FOLLOW THOSE
GUYS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO
TOLEDO.
YEAH.
COMING ALONG.