29-Yo Becomes First Woman To Cross U.s. On A Skateboard–Honoring Stepfather Whose Ashes Were Carried In A Necklace

29-Yo Becomes First Woman To Cross U.s. On A Skateboard–Honoring Stepfather Whose Ashes Were Carried In A Necklace

The stepfather who always believed in her was with her at the end, as his ashes rested inside her necklace while she crossed the finish line.

Brooke Johnson had just become the first woman to cross the United States on a skateboard—a record-setting 3,226-mile journey that began in Santa Monica, California and ended when she walked into the Atlantic Ocean at Virginia Beach after 119 days on the road.

The 29-year-old lifted her skateboard over her head and couldn’t help but think about Roger, the man who made it all happen—even though he was only there in spirit.

Late in his life, Brooke’s stepfather broke his C5 vertebrae and became a quadriplegic. His health continued to decline until he passed away last year.

As time was running out, stepfather and daughter often talked about Brooke’s dream of cross-country skateboarding, and she planned to push him across the finish line in a wheelchair.

Roger never once doubted that she’d make it.

“I was like, ‘Roger, it’s a really big country.’ And he was like, ‘Well, you can do it,’” Brooke told Kelly McCarthy of GMA.

When Roger passed away, Brooke had more motivation than she would ever need. She set out from Santa Monica about four months ago, with the goal of raising money for Wings for Life, a nonprofit dedicated to spinal cord research.

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She persisted through rough weather and mountainous terrain—even rolling through a tornado warning in Oklahoma.

Her team, which included an RV and video crew, ultimately raised $50,000 for Wings for Life—with Roger’s name written on her white shoes so she could see it on every single mile of the 3,226 she completed.

After stepping into the Atlantic Ocean, Brooke celebrated her triumph by sharing a video on social media highlighting her feat. The Instagram post included a voicemail from Roger that she randomly found on one of the toughest days of her journey.

“…Everything’s gonna be fine…We’ll get through it,” Roger said in the voicemail.

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A post shared by Brooke Johnson (@brookedoeseverything)

His voice and his advice became a beacon that guided Brooke across the country until she completed the goal her late step-father always knew she’d reach.

“It was one of those messages that felt like he left it for the present moment. That was a crazy feeling,” Brooke wrote on Instagram.

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“If there’s one thing you take away from this trip, it’s that you can truly do anything you put your mind to.”

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