DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – It’s a moment Pastor Shawn Hennessy of Life Church in De Pere tells Fox 11 gave him a sense of pride.
“I feel tired, I’ll be honest with you, but I feel better than I thought I would.”
Hennessy participated in ‘The Honolulu Marathon’, in Hawaii Sunday.
Each of the 26 miles wasn’t just a test of his physical ability, it was to draw attention to a good cause.
“Rescuing these girls from human trafficking. Literally, from being sex slaves, which you’d never imagine happening in Green Bay, but it is every day.”
He ran to raise money for “Run from Trafficking.”
It’s a fundraiser aimed to help sex trafficking victims in Northeast Wisconsin.
“He set a goal of 26.2-thousand-dollars, which matches the miles for a marathon,” said Gregg Sweger, who is a part of the ministry.
Sweger says over the last year, they’ve been working closely with Eye Heart World.
It’s a non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against human trafficking.
“We definitely have a heart to rescue.”
He says the money raised will go to the ‘Rose Home’ in Green Bay.
“To actually help the women who are currently in the Rose Home, who have been rescued out of sex trafficking, but who also will be in the future.”
The home is a safe place for victims of sex trafficking.
As he inched closer to the finish line, Hennessy says there was one thing that kept him going.
“A sense of pride in those girls, who literally could have thrown it in, so if they’re not going to quit, there’s so much more for us.”
