Page 13 - 2019 MPMA Summer Profiles

money for needs ranging from being behind in bill payments all
the way up to cancer treatment. This is simply the latest chapter of
giving.
Warne walked 12-to-16 hours daily—between 30 and 40 miles
daily—only stopping to hydrate and swap shoes occasionally.
Warne stated, “I was wearing boots and know with the amount
of walking I did that I would need some help after I finished my
walk. One of our station’s firefighters referred me to Dr. Trina
Russo and Dr. Joyce Patouhas for care.”
According to Dr. Patouhas, “Joe was in our office soon after
his amazing journey across the state to help other families. Wearing
heavy boots for that distance caused him to have blisters on both
feet and toenail trauma where we had to remove the toenail. We
completed follow up wound care until he was completely healed.”
Patouhas added, “It’s important to take care of your feet by not
neglecting them. Having healthy feet keeps us mobile regardless of
what age we are.”
Neighbors United has seen considerable donations thanks to
Warne’s journey to Grand Rapids, and the target of $10,000 was
Macomb
Township blown away, with donations on the group’s Facebook page reaching
Kentwood Fire
Station 1
the $13,800 mark. Thanks to the effort from Joe Warne and
Neighbors United, the perennial commitment to communal success,
support and kindness continues to aid those who need it most.
Warne has been a firefighter for 10 years and is a husband and
father of 4 children. t

It’s inspirational. I

mean it really is. I
really didn’t think this would
be big like it got. I was just

going to walk and hopefully a
few friends would donate and
hope a couple of people would
see a guy with a flag walking
and say, ‘what’s going on?’

And it turned into way more
than that. So, it’s been very
inspirational.”—Joe Warne

www.MPMA.org 13