Georgia man hiking dozens of miles to honor wife diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A 70-year-old Georgia man is gearing up to hike 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail in seven days in honor of his wife, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Sterling Kenyon said he is putting in the miles to raise money that will go toward finding a cure.

“I have been hiking my whole life,” said Kenyon.

But the adventures behind Kenyon are nothing compared to what he training for now. He is training to hike 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail, in seven days, at 70 years old. But it is not just about the hiking adventure. The reason his hike is so important is because of who he is doing it for.

“Losing Amanda to Alzheimer’s — it is a hole in your heart. Someone you love so much. It is difficult,” said Kenyon.

Sterling’s wife, Amanda, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s.

“Amanda and I are both second-timers. We were divorced. We met through Match.com. I reached out to her, we had our first date and it was amazing and I fell in love immediately. It was just after we got married that she started showing her first signs of Alzheimer’s,” said Kenyon.

He will be hiking this trail for her, to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association, which is working to find a cure and support families along the way.

“It is not about me. It is about Amanda. I am healthy, I am still going. What I want to do is continue to raise awareness,” said Kenyon.

The idea for this hike is seven, seven, seven. Kenyon is 70. He is going to be hiking 70 miles and he is going to do it, hopefully, in seven days.

It is all going to start on Nov. 8.