{"id":386955,"date":"2026-09-01T07:56:20","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T07:56:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/386955\/"},"modified":"2026-09-01T07:56:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T07:56:20","slug":"zero-to-100-wishes-cape-runner-on-a-50-state-1500-mile-quest-to-raise-1-million-for-make-a-wish-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/386955\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Zero to 100 wishes\u2019 | Cape runner on a 50-state, 1,500-mile quest to raise $1 million for Make-A-Wish"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Cape Coral resident Brady McDonald hosts a \u201cWish Run\u201d every morning in each of the 50 states he\u2019s traveling to, inviting community runners to take part in the million dollar fund-raising effort for Make-A-Wish. He started in Florida and has worked his way up the East Coast, through the Midwest and, as of Thursday, was in Eugene, Oregon. PHOTO PROVIDED<\/p>\n

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Fifty states. Fifty days. More than 1,500 miles. All in the name of granting wishes for 100 children.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the mission Cape Coral resident Brady McDonald is in the midst of.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On July 22, the Cape Coral community gathered for a sunset send-off as McDonald began his mission to run a 50K (31 miles) in all 50 states over 50 consecutive days, aiming to raise $1 million to benefit Make-A-Wish and help grant 100 wishes for children with critical illnesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cGod asked me to use my legs to help people, instead of running further for ego,\u201d McDonald said.<\/p>\n

McDonald\u2019s wife Kristy, their daughters Kylie, 12, and Lexi, 5, and a professional production crew are now on the road with him, documenting the mission as a 50-part YouTube series with one new episode released every day.<\/p>\n

The mission, dubbed, \u201cZero to 100 Wishes,\u201d is something near and dear to the McDonald family\u2019s heart \u2014 to have the ability to change 100 lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kristy knows all too well what it means to have a wish granted, as she was in a serious boating incident when she was 15 where she lost her arm.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cShe knows what type of experience that was,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cThere are 30,000 children that are diagnosed with critical illnesses every year in the U.S. I envision my daughters having a critical illness \u2014 going through surgeries and uncertainty \u2014 spending every last penny to make sure they have the best chance. I just thought, \u2018Wow, if we raise $1 million we can change the lives of 100 children.’\u201d<\/p>\n

McDonald, 41, previously ran to benefit Make-A-Wish, having raised more than $300,000 dollars earlier this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what gave us the courage and hope, and the belief system that I could run 50K over all 50 states, and we could do it in 50 days,\u201d McDonald said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McDonald reached out to Camping World, which sponsored McDonald and provided two RVs. Other sponsors chipped in when it came to travel and keeping McDonald in top physical shape as he took on this journey.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people on our trip are mission-focused,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cThat\u2019s what we needed. We\u2019re learning a lot along the way. Running is probably the easiest part, to be honest. Trying to raise $1 million is hard \u2014 getting the YouTube videos done and raising awareness is really hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

McDonald and his family moved to Cape Coral from Canada nearly five years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He only started running a few years back, with his first race being a 50-mile course in the Florida Keys. McDonald said he started running after he quit drinking.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Unbelievably enough, he won that race in the Keys, but it came at a cost. McDonald developed rhabdomyolysis, which causes muscle tissue to break down, along with severe dehydration. He was hospitalized.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I did come around, all I could think of was that I\u2019m on the right track,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cI\u2019m becoming the best version of myself, so that I can serve people better. I can be a better dad, a better leader in my business, a better leader in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

McDonald almost never ran again after the experience, but a few months later, he went to Kristy and asked if he could run 100 miles to raise $100,000 for children\u2019s charities. She agreed. They raised $93,000 for Operation Underground Railroad, which is an anti-trafficking nonprofit, as well as money for Easterseals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McDonald has never looked back on his running journey, and even took on the daunting Moab 240 ultramarathon, one of the toughest races in the world through Utah\u2019s desert canyons, slick rock, and mountain ranges.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As for how he takes on these grueling races and runs, and is able to run more than a marathon each day for 50 straight days, McDonald said it\u2019s a science, as well as a state of mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happens when you do anything hard? It was hard at one point,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cWhen you do a 5K, your body goes through pain and suffering and adaptation. The next time you do a 5K, it doesn\u2019t hurt as bad. What also happens is that it changes your belief system. Now that you\u2019ve done a 5K, you can see it\u2019s possible to do a 10K. The first 10K hurts, but the second time it\u2019s not as bad. From a running perspective it happens, but it also happens in life. The hardest is always the first time, and then hopefully you learn from it.\u201d<\/p>\n

McDonald said other factors include hydration, nutrition, and durability.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The other major factor? Willpower.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cProbably 50 percent of it is nutrition \u2014 and obviously training, but the rest is just not quitting and mental fortitude,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve wanted to quit a million times, but I\u2019m really cautious of surrounding myself with the right people.\u201d<\/p>\n

McDonald recalled his 300-mile race and struggling mightily. He sat with full body cramps from his fingers to his toes, feeling dehydration. He said 30% of the field quit that race \u2014 but he didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a purpose bigger than myself,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cThe pain I was feeling is nothing compared to the pain and suffering these children go through. For this cause now \u2014 I get to stop in 50 days. The kids we\u2019re raising money for don\u2019t get to stop in 50 days.\u201d<\/p>\n

McDonald is hosting a \u201cWish Run\u201d every morning in each of the 50 states he\u2019s traveling to. He started in Florida and has worked his way up the East Coast, through the Midwest and, as of Aug. 27, is in Eugene Oregon.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have anywhere from 10 people, to 1,200 people participating,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to get people to realize that when their purpose is bigger than themselves, they are capable of much more.\u201d<\/p>\n

McDonald wakes up at 4 a.m. each day and heads to wherever the route begins, and starts the Wish Run at 6 a.m.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe go through the purpose, the \u2018why,’\u201d he said. \u201cWe run either 5K or 10K together as a group. Some people run random distances, and some want to run it all. We have people setting personal records each run.\u201d<\/p>\n

McDonald said he enjoys exploring each city and the cultures, spreading the message of his mission. When he went to Maine, he ran part of his 50K on a treadmill on a lobster boat. When they went to Indiana, they visited a small Amish town and experienced what life is like living Amish. He plans to visit Zion National Park and other major National Parks along the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In Iowa, the end of his route put him at the Field of Dreams. McDonald\u2019s team is constantly reaching out to local run clubs for participants and making each location known via social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n

McDonald\u2019s last stop is in Hawaii on Sept. 12, where he hopes the goal of $1 million will be completed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely not about us,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m giving the glory to God. When you do these things and it\u2019s not about you \u2014 leading up to the end is the emotional part and it will be hard to believe we pulled this off. I think we\u2019re winning every day. Every $10,000 increment matters, because that means another life is being changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

McDonald hopes to have a celebration in Cape Coral when he completes his mission. <\/p>\n

He hopes the family of a young Naples boy named Isaac who recently passed away will attend.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a Make-A-Wish child, and we look forward to getting back and being with their family,\u201d he said. \u201cThose are the moments that bring me to tears. Those are the stories that we need to continue to pass down. That\u2019s how Isaac\u2019s testimony will be able to live on and change lives. We didn\u2019t know him personally, but he\u2019s part of our crew because this happened locally in Southwest Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n

McDonald added this trip is also a lesson for his young daughters, to show them the power of making a difference and inspiring others to do good in the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As of Thursday, McDonald has raised $542,653 of the $1 million goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To follow McDonald\u2019s journey and to donate, visit\u00a0zeroto100wishes.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n


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