Manitowoc Lincoln Alum Don Davey has certainly achieved much in his 53 years on earth.
He’s played high school collegiate and professional football being drafted in third round of The 1991 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. He’s succeeded in the business world forming And heading Disciplined Equity Management in Jacksonville Florida and owns nine Firehouse Subs Restaurants in greater Madison and Milwaukee.
To quench his competitive spirit after Football Don has finished ten Ironmans including the 2019 World Championships in Kalua-Kona Hawaii, but he tells Seehafer News that this latest challenge will be the toughest race he’s ever competed in physically and mentally.
He’ll be a part of an 8-person “Race Across America” team for his organization “The One Mile Project”.
Davey says his main objective is to raise funds and awareness of veterans and active-duty service members who commit suicide each day on average 22 times in the United States.
“Last year I was approached by a guy from Green Bay, Mike Campbell, who started a non-profit charity up there called the One Mile Charity Project,” Davey explained. “He said he was trying to put together a team of people he called superhumans to do the world’s toughest bike race.”
The race spans more than 3000 miles across the country starting tomorrow (June 19th) from Oceanside California to Annapolis Maryland.
“Me and my partner are going to alternate 22 minutes on 22 minutes off for six hours,” he explained. “That will be our shift, and then the next team will take over and do the next six hours. We will go around the clock, over the mountains, through the desert, in the wind, whatever obstacles we face we are just going to keep on plucking through.”
Davey has a soft spot in his heart for those who served and paid the ultimate price to keep America free.
“My father, whom many people in Manitowoc may know, developed kidney failure…and served in the Marine Corp for 132 years,” Davey said. “He actually passed away in January of this year. He paid homage to discipline, hard work, and giving your best effort in everything, and I thought what better way to honor his legacy than to be a part of this team.”
He added, “It’s no coincidence that everything fell into place for him to participate in this grueling race…The second day of the race is Father’s Day. Listen, until I cross that finish line, and I have done every bit that I can, that’s when I will feel finally fulfilled, and I can look up and say ‘Hey pop, thanks for being there with me, and I hope I made you proud.’”
Davey says he’s trained relentlessly for this cross-country jaunt and says he’s in the best shape of his life weighing 211 pounds.
His brother Ken and wife Janette live in San Diego and will watch him take off while his Mother Gail, brother Tim, and his family, and his father’s niece Nassi will greet him at the finish line at Annapolis Maryland.
The Ships Graduate says that he can’t wait to cross the finish line give his mom a hug and a kiss-look up and honor Dad together.
The One Mile Leadership Project in partnership with Project R.E.D. team has already raised over $220,000 for its cause and mission.
