Walled Lake Northern alumnus sets Guinness World Record while raising money for a cause close to his heart
Walled Lake Northern alumnus sets Guinness World Record while raising money for a cause close to his heart
Walled Lake Northern graduate Zach Brunet (’19) hit the greens at Eagle Crest Golf Course in Alma, Arkansas this past spring for a round of golf that would be unmatched by anyone before. Brunet, along with Derek Frail, Alex Graziani, Lex Mickle and Philip Robertson, set out to endure 24 hours on the course to raise money for the Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation.
Phelan-McDermid Syndrome is a rare genetic condition that causes developmental delays, speech delays, behavioral problems, and a weakened or no ability to feel pain or sweat.
The cause is close to Brunet’s heart. His older sister, Ashlyn, who is currently a student in the Walled Lake Consolidate Schools’ Adult Transitions Program, suffers from Phelan-McDermid Syndrome.
“I obviously love her very much, and to be able to do something like this for the foundation that supports her is really special to me,” said Brunet. “It was truly an awesome experience to not only do something for the foundation and raise a bunch of money for my sister, but also do the 24 hours.”
The goal was to raise $10 thousand. However, they well exceeded that mark totaling $12,145.68.
Brunet and his fivesome started their round at 8 a.m. on April 12. Over the next 24 hours, they’d set a new Guinness World Record playing 200 holes of golf while walking, shattering the previous record of 180 holes. They also covered over 65 miles and climbed more than 8,000 feet of elevation during that span, which is nearly two and a half marathons and almost a third of the way up Mount Everest.
“Just seeing (my family) walking around the course and having a good time with all the people there definitely made it more worthwhile,” said Brunet. “Especially hanging out with them at the end and celebrating our accomplishment was pretty awesome.”
The record was confirmed by Guinness on July 23. The certificate now hangs in Brunet’s Rochester home, which he said brings him pride knowing he was able to make a difference and help the foundation that supports his sister and many others.
“The foundation is really fantastic,” Brunet added. “They put on great things for kids with Phelan-McDermid Syndrome, and they really do an amazing job in taking care of them. It’s incredible to have that support for my sister, and they are a good community of people that take care of each other.”