Two and a half years ago, Jacob Beckley raised over $20,000 for Chicago’s Lurie Children’s Hospital with a solo rowboat trip across Lake Michigan from St. Joseph to Chicago, and he’s getting ready to do it again. This time, Beckley is teaming up with former Chicago Bears defensive back Charles “Peanut” Tillman for the effort, and they will both row the same route.
Tillman tells the Chicago Tribune he’s doing it despite being deathly afraid of water, having no experiencing rowing a boat, and never having built anything before. The pair are building their boat in suburban Chicago and plan to make the journey across the lake in August. They will be raising money for childhood cancer research and to give financial help to families of kids with cancer.
Beckley did it in October 2016 in a journey that took over 23 hours and he told WSJM News at the time he underestimated the level of effort it would require to row the 65 miles between the two cities. He added it got harder once he could see Chicago, as the waves got stronger. WSJM News has reached out to Beckley seeking an interview with the two.
