Graham Boanas has successfully completed an amazing double challenge for DebRA.
The businessman and long-term DebRA supporter has walked across the River Mersey and followed it up by walking across the River Humber – this time UNDER water.
During his underwater challenge, Graham used a special ‘umbilical cord’ airway to help him breath and he was in constant contact with the Northern Divers and Humber Rescue team that supported him.
Luckily they were on hand when he encountered a problem with his airways, after the cord became entangled.
A diver went into the water to untangle the tube and Graham was then able to continue his underwater walk, making it to the other side of the river in around 70 minutes.
Graham’s latest challenges (which took place on August 13 and August 20) came a year after he became the first person since Roman times to walk across the River Humber.
At 6ft 9ins tall, Graham needed all his height to help him complete these amazing feats and he endured months of arduous training as well as the dangerous challenges themselves for one reason only – to raise vital funds for DebRA.
During the Mersey Challenge, local lad James Dunn, who lives with EB, was on hand to offer support and inspiration.
After the latest Humber challenge an It’s a Knockout challenge took place on the banks of the river, organised by Graham’s wife Jan. It was a great success and teams have already signed up for another It’s a Knockout next year.
As for Graham’s next challenge, we will have to wait and see but we have been assured that there is ‘something in the pipeline’.
Watch this space
