To those of you who take the time to read my story I want to say thank you first and foremost.  My name is Travis Hooker and I currently reside in Bridgewater, VA. I am a devoted husband to my wife Erica, and father to my twin daughters, Charlie and Kanoa. 

I was born in 1982 to a military family; my parents were young and had just started their careers and they quickly learned there were many sacrifices ahead in their calling of servitude.  Shortly after I was born, they separated to grow as individuals throughout their careers and personal lives.  I started off living with my mother for a short period of time and recall spending most of my nights running around the base gym.

For a little guy back then I covered a lot of ground.  I ran over the bleachers, under the bleachers, around the basketball court (multiple times), under the volleyball net, in and out of every racquetball court, and pretended to work out as I climbed on every piece of gym equipment known to man. I adjusted each machine to the maximum resistance only to hold my breath hoping that it would budge. 

I was full of energy, like most kids!  My mom worked day and night and it became a daunting task as a single mother raising such a spirited child.  I vaguely remember the transition to living with my father; I moved from California to Las Vegas but distinctly remember the difference in weather.  It was no longer sunny California but the dry, lizard infested desert of Las Vegas.  

There was plenty of room to run around the trailer park we called home. It was there I met a beautiful woman and a little girl around the same age as me.  You see this woman was in the military too and she had a daughter of her own.  Her name was Mary “Peggy” and her daughter’s name was Amber.   It wasn’t too long after I met them that I was calling them Mom and Sister.  My Dad and new Mom extended our family by having another little boy.  Chad was the glue that bonded both families into one. 

Mom and Dad moved us from the trailer park to Randall Drive, not too far from Nellis Air Force Base. It was here where I learned to really run.  It was difficult not seeing my real mom and not understanding why she gave me up left me in a dark and uncomfortable place.  Anywhere my dad went, I had to go; I feared I was being left behind again! I remember one night I caught my dad getting ready to leave the house (I thought it was the middle of the night, but it was early morning just before the sun came up). I recall crying and asking him where he was going.  He said he was going running and that he would be right back. I refused to let him leave without me. I was so excited and relieved when he said I could go with him! 

I remember the first time we ran, and he looked at me and said, “Keep up! I’m not going to wait for you”. I did everything I could to keep him within eye shot!  My lungs burned, my heart was pounding, and my mouth was so dry I could barely yell out for him I cried the entire time. I probably got more dehydrated from the crying than anything.  We made it home and it was from that point that I knew what I was made of and where I wanted to be.

 

I’ve been blessed through all my successes and failures and now at the age of 37, I realize my true path. I started a career in law enforcement in 2006, it was a calling to serve.  I met my wife there and at the peak of our careers we dropped it all, packed everything we had and moved to help an ailing family member.  This first opportunity to serve led on to the next.

I was inspired by others I met in the local community here where I live.  I heard of The Presbyterian Children’s Home of the Highlands, and knew I wanted to somehow be involved.  Come September 27, 2019 I’ll run a 100-mile ultramarathon called the Yeti 100 in Abingdon, VA.  I’ll be honest this won’t be an easy task and I’ve never even ran a marathon in my life, but these kids will help me draw the inspiration I need.  I know that my training isn’t to run a race, but rather training for Life!  Thank you so much for your time, donations, and prayers from my Ohana (family in Hawaiian) to yours!