Brotherly Love: Swimming For Multiple Sclerosis
BARRINGTON, N.J. (CBS) -- Shelly Heagen of Barrington, New Jersey doesn't move as quickly as she used to. She has multiple sclerosis.
"Sometimes it's hard for my knees to carry my weight," she said, "and a lot of times, I'll get a lot of sharp pains in my knees," said Heagen.
Now she has a cane that has four tips for stability. The cane was donated by the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America.
"They gave it to me for just no cost," she said. "And I was very grateful for that because it helped a lot with my walking."
She also has people like 18-year-old Rob Cohen to thank. He swam to raise money to help fill the warehouse of equipment for MS patients.
"It makes me feel really good," Rob said.
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The Council Rock High School senior asked supporters to donate money for every lap he swam. He swam 180 miles and raised enough money to buy two wheelchairs for the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America.
Shelly says, "I just look at it as highly commendable. I hope he just sets an example for his generation."
Rob's mother, Elizabeth Cohen, is very proud of her son. She says, "He just did it because he wanted to help somebody and I think that's nice."
Rob says, he just hopes his 180 miles of swimming for the association will inspire others. He says, "I just hope that lots of swimmers after seeing this decided to commit to do the swim for multiple sclerosis, because it can help many other people."
Rob's was the largest individual campaign in the Delaware Valley for Swim for MS.
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Reported by Dave Huddleston, CBS 3
