A great start

Joe DeLamielleure is walking to the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Golden Anniversary Reunion. His Pounding the Pavement for Prosthetics Walk from Buffalo to Canton is to raise awareness and support for the GRACE’S LAMP organization that deals with young children who grow out of their prosthetic legs but cannot afford the high cost of new adult prosthetic legs. Read story>>> | Support Grace’s Lamp>>>

6:20 p.m. EDT

I feel fantastic. I fell about a mile short of our target today because a storm blew in. But, I covered almost 25 miles and made it to Irving, N.Y.  I made really good time especially considering I didn’t get started until around 10:35 this morning. I’ll be in more of my groove tomorrow as I’ll start at 6:45 a.m. and walk three of four hours and then take a little longer break.

The Bills have been super. What a great sendoff they did for us this morning. They’ve just been so supportive of Joey and me.

Jim Kelly called me to say he was sorry he couldn’t be with us at the stadium but wanted to wish me luck. He then talked with Joey for a few minutes and Joey was just on Cloud Nine! We then walked into the stadium. This was the first time that he had ever stepped foot in a pro stadium.

Check out this video from Ralph Wilson Stadium.

It was really humid today. I think I lost 4 or 5 pounds!

But, I’ll tell you something. Sometimes we get caught up in all the bad news we read and see but today reminds me of all the good out there. People along the route were greeting me. They’d give me words of encouragement and many were donating money. There was one couple that handed us $50.

I heard from former Bills player and longtime announcer Paul Maguire. He told me to put him down for $1,000. Incredible. People are just so kind and generous.

It makes me thankful for having played in the NFL and being in the Hall of Fame. It’s enabled me to do things that I couldn’t have done in a million years.

We’re making a difference in Joey’s life and the lives of other kids.