When Troy Yocum was serving in the Iraq War, he learned that a fellow veteran at home had developed cancer and was having trouble paying his bills. So he hosted a fundraiser abroad and raised thousands of dollars for his friend.
That got him thinking. “I thought, maybe I could do something much bigger to help a lot more military families,” he recalled. Since he loved to hike, Yocum decided to trek across the United States and back to raise money for military families in need. On his 7,880-mile journey, Yocum came across Manhattan Beach-based Skechers CEO Michael Greenberg, who was so inspired by Yocum’s story that he wanted to contribute to the cause.
Since beginning to collect donations from customers, Skechers has raised just over $120,000 for Hike for Heroes. Skechers presented a check to Yocum last week in Manhattan Beach.
“After bravely serving his country in Iraq, this selfless man is now devoting his life to helping the families of his fellow soldiers who risk their lives to protect our freedom,” Greenberg said. “I was extremely moved by Troy’s story, and felt compelled to help his cause through Skechers’ vast network of retail stores.”
