My name is Jason
Driver (that's me on the left) and sitting with me in this picture is Joel
Driver (he's on the right), who lost his battle with cancer in January of
2012. Rather than go on and on about how
awesome a person he was (and he was) and what made him my best friend (and he
was), I’ll point you to the links at the bottom of this page for more
information.
Before he passed away, Joel
and I talked about taking all of our money and going back to Europe one last time
and visiting places that were both familiar and new. Dad was active duty in the United States Air Force, so we were
lucky enough to be stationed ten years in Germany and England (Joel was born in
Germany, in fact). We made friends and
connected with the “Old World” in a way that never left either of us. So together we made a plan of where we would go, how
long it would take, and what we would be sure to see. It helped pass the time and made the reality of his health easier to ignore at least for a little bit.
After he died, being unable to do anything else for or with him, I decided
that I would take our trip for him. So in 2013, I got together with two of
our mutual friends, planned out an itinerary based on what Joel and I had
discussed, and went on the trip that Joel and I had wanted to take together. I sent
postcards back to Joel every day (care of my parents) detailing the places we
had visited and even kept a blog (the blog of that first trip is here: Traveling With Joel and also linked
below). It went so well that we saved up
and did it again the next year with a couple of other mutual friends (blog is forthcoming – promise!).
However, I have always felt
that there was one other trip that I know he and I would
have undertaken together (health, money and common sense notwithstanding). The Camino De
Santiago is the pilgrimage through northern Spain to the resting place of St.
James. I had learned about the Camino from the movie “The Way”, which I had stumbled upon before it was released, and learned all I could prior to it's release in a local theater. Due to the movie and MUCH subsequent research, I had been drawn to this walk a year or two before Joel died, and although at
that point he was too weak to even seriously consider it, it seemed a perfect
and spiritual way to end our new (unrealistic) European travel plans.
THE SCHOLARSHIP
Through
many kind donations from friends and family, by the end of 2012 my parents and I were able to fund a graduate
scholarship for the FSU Career Center in his name at Florida State University
(Joel's and my alma mater). As a career counselor, Joel was all about
helping others with their career and future plans, and we know that he would
want us to continue to help others in the same way. But we as a family want
to do more.
The cost for a $1,000
scholarship in perpetuity at FSU is $25,000. My hope is that by
continuing to raise money that we can fund a
second scholarship. Joel knew full well and first hand how difficult it is to get financial assistance as a graduate student. Not only will
more students be helped in their quest to pursue higher education at the
school that has meant and done so much for our family, but also my
brother's name and legacy as a servant and support for others will continue
long past all of us.
No matter the amount, whatever is raised will be put towards the second scholarship fund.
If I am not able to reach this goal this time around, we'll keep chipping
away at it. Quitting wasn't a character trait of Joel's, and it isn't one
of mine either.
...AND NOW, WHERE YOU THE READER COME IN....
So, as the third and last of the “Walking
with Joel” trips, (as I think of these European adventures), I have decided to walk the
Camino Ingles in Spain this July, both as a trip in his honor as well as a way
to raise money and awareness for a second scholarship in Joel's name at
FSU. I will be posting blogs and/or video of my seven day trip from
Ferrol to Santiago de Compostela (and just imagine the hijinks of a sweaty
round asthmatic dude trying to film himself after walking 20-30 km a day), with the goal
being to end up in time for the Feast of St. James holiday in Santiago.
Keep in mind that, although I am training (both physically and
spiritually) and eager, I have never made a trip like this before (and
despite the best efforts of more than one teacher at FSU, my grasp of the Spanish language is far below Taco Bell standards),
so this promises to be a pilgrimage in the truest sense of the word. I don't expect it to be easy and I don't want it to be easy, but I DO expect it to be memorable and I know it will be meaningful.
(If nothing else, reading
about my preparation and Camino should be entertaining...)
ENOUGH ALREADY….
So thank you for reading
this. I hope that you are inspired to:
1) follow my exploits online,
2) pass this blog on to as many people as you know, and
3) donate to my brother’s scholarship fund.
However, if you do none of those things, at the very least I hope that you are inspired to do something outside of your comfort zone and live your life for those loved ones who no longer can…and to be sure and hug or tell your family and friends that you love them daily. Daily. Trust me.
1) follow my exploits online,
2) pass this blog on to as many people as you know, and
3) donate to my brother’s scholarship fund.
However, if you do none of those things, at the very least I hope that you are inspired to do something outside of your comfort zone and live your life for those loved ones who no longer can…and to be sure and hug or tell your family and friends that you love them daily. Daily. Trust me.
Oh yeah. I almost forgot. That cool cute kid in the middle of Joel and
I in the picture? That's my son, The Starlord (at his insistence). My brother called him
The 'Phew (short for nephew).
I know him best
as Brendan Joel.
READING MORE ABOUT JOEL
So, to start out, here's
some homework and light reading for you:
If you want to contribute to
Joel’s scholarship fund (either because or despite of my Camino!), here is the
link:
If you are interested in
more information about Joel:
If you are interested in
reading about my first trip in Joel's memory:
I will be blogging about the
trip here (starting in a week or so):
Here is information on the
Camino de Santiago (Due to work and daddy duties, I am doing the five-six day
Camino Ingles)
And I highly recommend this movie
about the Camino if you haven't already seen it:
And there is a new documentary
about the Camino that you should really look at too:
Any help you are willing to
contribute to this adventure would be greatly appreciated.
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