Anthony Soles and William Stone-Barney will soon travel across the United States and return through Canada on a journey to raise funds and honour the legacy of Michael Soles, Anthony's late father.
In July 2021, Michael Soles passed away at age 54 after a 16-year battle with ALS. Michael grew up in Pointe-Claire and was a distinguished member of the John Abbott Islanders, where he holds a title in their Hall of Distinction. He went on to play in the Canadian Football League, where he played for the Edmonton Eskimos, with whom he won a Grey Cup in 1993, and was a beloved member of the Montreal Alouettes. In 1996, his talents earned him a spot on the CFL All-Star Team, and he was recognized as the Most Outstanding Canadian Player in the East Division.
A week before he passed, Michael emailed Anthony (left), who plays football at Queens University, reminding him of the importance of traveling and seeing the world. Anthony always knew he would do something to honour his dad, which inspired the trip he will embark on to raise funds for ALS research.
"Big Mountains, Bigger Cause" is a trip that will take Anthony and William across the Midwest, to multiple national parks in California, up through Utah, Oregon, and Washington State, across the border to Whistler and Vancouver Island, and through Banff and Revelstoke. The duo plan to summit and ski three renowned peaks, Mt. Rainier in Washington, Mt. Hood in Oregon, and Mt. Washington on Vancouver Island. The road trip will start in Montreal on the 1st of May and should last a month.
Donations made to the page will be donated directly to ALS Quebec, and tax receipts will be made available.
"The journey is designed to emphasize living your life to the fullest. It will hopefully bring more awareness to this devastating disease and encourage people to donate generously. ALS is a life-altering disease that impedes affected people from being able to do anything like this trip, which is a privilege we do not take lightly. We want to show that we aren’t taking our beautiful planet and the time we have on it for granted," stated Soles and Stone-Barney.
We wish them a safe and successful journey!
SOURCE: ALS Québec
