The elusive purple shirt

I’ve written about the blue shirt before. In wish blue, it’s the perfect representation of a hard fought, 28.3 mile battle for Wish kids. And if you’re crazy enough, or perhaps I should say sane enough, to do the Trailblaze challenge a second time, you earn a purple shirt. Our fearless leader, Jody, says that we are “plum crazy” if we’ve received a purple shirt, and he uses that phrase to hint to Trailblaze rookies that these are the people you should scope out to get the down low on what the TBC is really like and also what it’s really about.

For me, the purple shirt has proven to be quite elusive. I was set to first receive it in the fall of 2019. I trained hard. Carrying a few more pounds on my person than when I earned the blue shirt, I was a little fearful, but still confident that I could finish it again. Definitely ready to grant more Wishes. My kids and husband became very involved as well, fundraising and hosting a water station at one hike and multiple cold oranges, cold Coca-Colas, and Snickers stations at the end of others. I’ve told you just how good a cold orange can be after hiking miles upon miles! My daughters started their own Etsy shop to raise money for Make-A-Wish (www.etsy.com/shop/WishesfromGifts).

But, fall 2019 was not meant to be. Or maybe it was. My purple shirt plans were put on hold. You see, we lost a member of our Traiblaze family that fall. Known by many, more closely by some for sure. A champion of all things Wish. It was heartbreaking and emotional–in different ways for each member of our TBC family. It still is. Yet, even though the purple shirt was not meant to be, the spirit of our lost brother fueled our passion even more. No longer was I thinking of the TBC as an event. Now, like many others already were, I was thinking of it as a family….and a way of life. There was no life without it now. I didn’t want to be in a world where it couldn’t exist. So, our TBC family did what we only know how to do. We held on to each other and kept hiking for Wishes.

The individuals that would have finished alongside me, Group 6 we are called (and I will post more about us later), have really bonded. We are indeed a family within the larger family, no doubt about it. Fueled in many way by the largest heart of our bunch, Mike, we check in on each other. We say good morning. Good night. And most recently, good afternoon.

And this spring several of us went after a shirt again. Spring 2020 would be my official purple shirt. And then, the pandemic. I think the most disheartening thing this time around is that before, even though we were all hurting, we could continue on in our mission for Wishes in memory of our lost family member. But, this time, kids’ Wishes are on hold, too. Not just the TBC. Because the majority of Wishes involve travel, many kids are waiting. The organization has arranged spectacular messages of hope and interim surprises during the wait, but those kids are still waiting. And their illnesses are not necessarily playing along. It really sucks. Not a very eloquent statement, but it’s true.

And so what do we do? Our TBC family is still pushing forward. Pictures of us in the most remote places getting social distancing time on the trail. Messages back and forth with our Group 6 family to check in. Jokes, tears, hopes. The pandemic is here, but the Wishes have not left, so neither has our purpose. We are still hiking, fundraising, and sending out love. Just another way that the TBC is as meaningful to me as it is for the kids receiving Wishes.

So, have I received an official purple shirt designation??? Not really. Do I care? Yes! Because that shirt is about the kids, not about me. So, fall of 2020, here I come. One more attempt. And if something gets in the way, I’ll try again. And again. Because the TBC is bigger than me, or you. It is a family. A family that loves its children. And as long as I am able, I will not let anyone tear this family apart. Nor will any of us. We are Wishes. We live for Wishes. We hike “plum crazy” middle of nowhere hikes for Wishes. And we love making Wishes come true!