When Jo lost her wonderful husband, Jerry - affectionately known as 'Sug' - to a sudden heart attack in 2022, she was devastated. The local community, her F45 gym crew and their family and friends rallied around Jo, in shock that this healthy and energetic man was gone at just 61 years of age.
When Jo's friends Jasmine and Brooke heard about Coastrek's hike, set to take place in October 2023 in Margaret River, raising awareness and funds for the Heart Foundation, it seemed the perfect way to honour Sug and give back to a cause they really cared about.
"Coastrek event day also happened to fall on the one-year anniversary that we lost Sug, which made it even more special," says Brooke.
Jo and Sug's family and friends felt the same way, with 40 of them registering ten teams under the name 'Sug's Blue and White Army' (the Blue and White representing Sug's love for his Birmingham City Football Club). The teams took on the 35km hiking challenge on the coastline between Yallingup and Dunsborough and raised over $20,000 for the Heart Foundation.
Brooke was seven months pregnant when she trekked 15 of the 35km distance and now has a very happy and healthy six-month-old baby boy named "Sullivan Jerry" - in memory of Sug.
"Sug was a selfless, genuine and proud man who always wanted the best for everyone - he was always the one to buy the first round of coffees, he perfected his sourdough to share with those around him and he was always there to lend a hand. He was pure sunshine and will always hold a special place in our hearts," says Brooke.
In 2024, Sug's Blue and White Army are back again for the 35km event, with Jo leading the way and Brooke determined to go the full distance.
“I’ll be carrying less weight this year so I’m keen to complete the full 35km hike this time around! The Cape to Cape is such a beautiful trail so I’m really looking forward to it. Sug is never far from our thoughts and will certainly be with us on event day,” says Brooke.
For more inspiring trekker stories, see here.
