Limpert Tech "SullyCast" on ALT 105.7 and iHeartRadio 8/21/21 - Vicki Bunke, Swim Across America

What do swimming across America, a new television series on Discovery Life, a Grammy award-winning Country Music star, Olympic swimmers and raising money for pediatric cancer research have in common? Vicki Bunke.

Bunke joins Rick this week:

This love story of hope, resilience, and Grace Bunke’s swimming cap, is what Vicki Bunke is taking with her as she embarks on participating in 14 open water charity swims for Swim Across America this summer to raise much needed funding for pediatric cancer research. Swimming from Nantucket to Seattle with lots of stops in-between, Vicki, who would not consider herself a swimmer before this journey began, is swimming in honor of her daughter Grace, whom she lost in 2018 at age 14 to osteosarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer.

Grace’s journey through cancer, and now her Mom’s journey swimming across America, are featured in the first two episodes in a new six-part docu-series “WaveMakers” airing on the Discovery Life channel airing July 8 and 15. Swimming with Vicki is Grace’s oncologist, Dr. Karen Wasilewski-Masker, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

And where does country music come into this? Grammy award-winning Zac Brown Band-member John Driskell Hopkins, a friend of the Bunke family, wrote the theme song “I’ll Take You Home” for the TV docu-series “WaveMakers” and as an inspiration for Vicki’s open water swims with Team Amazing Grace.

“It’s usually parents who leave legacies for our children,” commented Vicki Bunke. “Grace left a legacy for us. She was the #1 fundraiser for pediatric research with Swim Across America before she passed away, and if she were here today, she would be swimming to fight this awful disease for others. It’s Grace’s spirit that brings us all together for this cause.”

An avid runner, Grace Bunke was diagnosed at age 11 and battled osteosarcoma for nearly four years, undergoing treatment including a partial leg amputation where her lower half of her leg was reattached backward (rotationplasty) and three lung operations. While recuperating, swimming found her. She quickly excelled at swimming making her varsity high school swim team and Grace earned her national cap for the U.S. Paralympic team in 2017. She took to open water swimming and participated in the Swim Across America - Atlanta open water charity swim near her home the fall of 2017. She bravely and publicly battled cancer with the trademark name given to her by others “Amazing Grace.”

At her last swim meet in 2018, the Georgia Age Group State Championship, Grace was in the hospital. Olympian Amanda Weir swam at the meet for Grace. To honor Grace, her swim team brought umbrellas which paid homage to a motto Grace believed: prayer is asking for rain, faith is bringing the umbrella.

Faith and umbrellas play an important theme in the John Driskell Hopkins song “I’ll Take You Home,” with the lyrics, “You prayed for rain. So, I brought my umbrella. Let it fall down around ya. Like it falls from my eyes. I know your pain. So I’ve come here to tell you, You’re not alone, I’ll take you home.”

Hopkins’ involvement with this story is drawn from his family’s personal connection to the Bunke family. His daughters attended the same elementary school in Marietta, Georgia, and he was greatly moved by Grace’s spirit as her, and her family, undertook their battle against this aggressive form of cancer. “I’ll Take You Home” is available beginning on July 8 on Spotify, Apple Music, SiriusXM and other platforms. A portion of each download is donated to Swim Across America.

“Every 15 minutes, 50 Americans are diagnosed with cancer. And for three decades, Swim Across America has been providing grants that have led to new cures in immunotherapy and gene therapy that have given hope. Grace’s story, though didn’t have the happy ending we all wanted, did leave a legacy of what she would have wanted for all of us left behind --  to turn her loss into triumph,” noted Rob Butcher, CEO of Swim Across America “Team Amazing Grace and the 14 charity swims Vicki is undertaking celebrate the legacy of Grace Bunke and importantly will raise funds for pediatric research.”

To learn more about Vicki Bunke’s Amazing Grace Tour, visit swimacrossamerica.org/goto/Vicki. To learn more about the Discovery Life docuseries “WaveMakers,” visit swimacrossamerica.org/wavemakers or wavemakers.tv.

Swim Across America, Inc. (SAA) is dedicated to raising money and awareness for cancer research, prevention and treatment through swimming-related charity events. Founded in 1987, Swim Across America has raised more than $100 million that has funded cancer research and clinical trials. With the help of volunteers nationwide and Olympians, Swim Across America grants have been at the forefront of leading to new treatments in immunotherapy and gene therapy. To learn more visit  swimacrossamerica.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @SAASwim.

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Vicki Bunke Amazing Grace Tour Dates
May 8:         Tampa
July 9:         Detroit
July 24:         Nantucket
July 31:         Long Island Sound (Larchmont, NY)
August 7:         Long Island, NY
August 8:         Fairfield County, CT
August 15:     Charleston-Kiawah
August 21:     Chicago
August 28:     St. Louis
August 29:     Denver
September 11:     Seattle
September 19: Baltimore
September 25: Dallas
October 2:     Atlanta