Nine years ago, Jeff Miller was dealt a terrible blow. His 64-year-old sister Linda was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Now the same age Linda was when doctors told her she had the disease, Jeff is walking across Iowa to honor his late sister.

On his fundraising page, Jeff shared a story that's all too familiar to families impacted by Alzheimer's:

My sister eventually had to be placed in a nursing home. I watched my sister slowly succumb to this dreadful disease. At the end she could not speak, eat or walk. She passed away at the young age of 69.

Saturday morning, April 24, Jeff started his approximate 350-mile trip across Iowa in Akron, with a 27-pound pack on his back. He'll be following Highway 3, which is north of Highway 20 in northern Iowa. His walk will conclude in Dubuque.

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Miller is already receiving wonderful gestures from Iowans. Though he'll be camping out most of the time, he told Siouxland Proud that one police department got him a hotel room. An officer from another town offered a room in their home, and a dispatcher in another city is supplying a camping spot in their back yard. As word of his trip spreads, I have no doubt even more people will step forward with kind gestures as he continues eastward.

As of this morning, Miller has raised $3,860 in the fight against Alzheimer's. His original goal was $2,500 and he also announced he's matching the first $1,000. You can donate HERE.

During an interview (below) with Siouxland Proud, Miller said,

Alzheimer’s is out there. There’s a lot of people affected by it, if not themselves or family members and when it happens, just be aware of the signs and just love the people.

You can follow his journey on YouTube HERE. The video below is from the first day of his cross-state trek.

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