This is a special report by Whit Honea from Honea Express.

Daniel Hughes is a family man and a blogger. He and nine of his friends will be undertaking a hike of roughly 80 miles over the course of six days through a rural part of England (eerily close to where they filmed An American Werewolf in London, I’m told) to raise money and awareness for the Joseph Salmon Trust Fund.

The fund was created to honor the memory of Joseph Salmon, a happy and seemingly healthy 3-year-old that passed in his sleep- a victim of streptococcal pneumonia. The purpose of the charity, which was established by Joseph’s parents Neil and Rachael Salmon, is to aid families bereaved of a child.

From the official website, “The impact on the family whose child has died is Immeasurable, the pain is intense and the life they knew is changed forever. The early days following the death of a child are difficult, with lots of organizing to do as well as dealing with the overwhelming emotions of grief. At this time many expenses are incurred, work time is lost often with financial implications; to have to worry about financial matters is an added burden.

Any support with finances for funeral costs and eventually for a headstone would be a great benefit to families to help them meet the last needs of their child after their death.”

It’s not something any of us want to think about, and that is why most parents are left unprepared. Dan hopes to help.

I recently talked to Dan about his role and the passion that fuels him:

What is your relationship to the Salmon family?

I first met Neil, Joseph’s dad, when we were both 17. We shared a sense of humour, a love of films, and a cavalier attitude to attendance in class. Over the 15 years we have known each other we have remained firm friends, a friendship that has grown to envelop our families as well. Our children play together, and our wives laugh together.

Words can’t express how proud I am of my friends. The death of their son could have destroyed them and their relationship. But they have struggled through their pain, determined that if Joseph wasn’t given enough time to leave his footprints on the world then they would do it on his behalf. They want to help those who are going through what they are still battling every single day, and by doing so they risk their hearts being torn open each time they’re told of a child taken too soon. That sort of selflessness takes courage, strength, and an emotional fortitude that is rare in this world.

When did you think of the walk? When did you know it would really happen?

I’ve always had vague fancies of doing a long distance walk, but the sobering thought of walking twelve to fifteen miles a day for a week always brought me to my senses. But when Neil told me of his plans to set up a charity in Joseph’s name I decided that there could be no better cause to march for.

I announced my intention to do the 78 mile long Dales Way on October 23rd, 2007. By October the 26th, nine of my friends had said they decided they were going with me. It was then that I realized I was definitely going to have to buy a pair of walking boots.

Why are you doing this?

When Joseph died I felt totally helpless. I knew that just a few streets away my friends were sitting in their home going through the worst torment imaginable, and there was nothing I could do to ease their pain.

Three years on, I have now been given the opportunity to do something for those who have that same torment ahead of them. I am not an athletic man. I don’t do this sort of thing for fun. This walk is going to hurt, and it’s going to hurt badly. But I wanted to do something big both to show to Neil and Rachael, and also show to the world, how much they and their cause mean to me.

What as been the most interesting or surprising side-effect of undertaking this project?

The most incredible thing for me has been the amazing amount of support we’ve received from the blogosphere. Not only have we raised over £900 from the blog alone (that’s about $1800), but we’ve had people selling their art on our behalf, organizing fundraisers at their work, and offering prizes of $100 donation to the charity in the winner’s behalf competitions.

If anyone ever doubted that the blogosphere is a real community, then there is the proof right there.

Do your children know or understand what you are doing?

Amy, my 4-year-old daughter, knows that her friend Lydia used to have a big brother but he died. And she knows that daddy is going on a big walk soon. But she’s too young really to be able to understand much more than that. We’re keeping all the press clippings though, so one day we’ll be able to tell her and her brother Evan all about the time when daddy wore his feet down to mere nubs.

Are you, your family and your job prepared for the weeks of immobility that you will surely face when all is said and done?

A few of the guys doing the walk are taking the next few days off as well in order to recover. Me? I figure that it’s pointless wasting annual leave when there’s sick days to be taken.

If anything happens to you can I have your iTouch?

Don’t you read my blog, Whit? I lost it about two weeks ago. Sheesh!

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…and that is Dan Hughes, an ordinary man doing an extraordinary thing, and he could use your help. Our small corner of the Internet is full of love and support for the Salmons and the selfless quest that Dan and his friends are about to embark on, but it still isn’t enough. We all know that times are tight, but this, my friends, is something worthwhile. This is for the love of a little boy gone, and the parents that remain.

It is to help those parents that have nightmares and tragedy ahead.

Please help in any way you can:

The Joseph Salmon Trust

The Dales Walk

All That Comes With It

*Publisher’s Note: I want to thank Whit for bringing this article to me and the Discovering Dad community.  As many of you know, this topic hits very close to home for me, as my first daughter died of a heart disease when she was just 2 months old.  The feelings of loss and despair are hard enough to deal with for families who lose a child, and the financial burdens of the experience are often a catalyst to destroying marriages afterward.  Anything you can do to help with this cause would be much appreciated.  Good luck to Daniel and his friends who are walking, and good karma to the Salmons for creating such a worthy charity. -Jeremy

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