At his heaviest, Jonathan Smith, Founder of Legacy Foundation, in Kansas City, Missouri, weighed more than 500 pounds.
I met Jonathan in 2012 at Tower Park near 75th Street and Holmes. He called me and wanted to promote his initiative with Legacy Foundation to walk his way to good health and weight-loss. We walked in the park with a couple of his students from the foundation.
Here I am in 2012 with Jonathan Smith and a student. Smith's newest weight loss challenge at 11AM on 41 Wednesday pic.twitter.com/Fjgi9elq3h
— Cynthia Newsome (@CynthiaNewsome) October 5, 2016
Four years later, he called me with an update and his new personal challenge.
Smith is vowing to swim 100 miles by December 11th this year. During his walking challenge, four years ago he lost more than 80 pounds and then gained 30 pounds. He met a friend who lost weight because they were inspired by his story so Smith was inspired to re-start his weight-loss initiative.
The Founder of Legacy Foundation is also choosing to swim 100 miles to set an example to the children and youth in his foundation.
"I want to show them that you can set a goal and achieve; and that you never give up you keep trying to reach your goal," Smith said.
Despite his personal weight challenges, the mission of Smith's Legacy Foundation is in-part to teach inner city youth how to eat healthy and exercise. The foundation also teaches leadership and offers tutoring for youth.
Smith is hosting an annual seminar for families called the We Can't Weight to Stay Fit seminar on October 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kansas City Police Department's East Patrol Division at 2640 Prospect. There will be cooking demonstrations, games, workouts and inspirational speakers.
I told Jonathan that I'm confident he will reach his 100 miles by December 11; and I will come and swim with him for a Workout Wednesday in November!
Thanks Jonathan for being my workout buddy and for mentoring youth to make the right choices.
---
Cynthia Newsome can be reached at Cynthia.Newsome@kshb.com.
