Written by Carmen Rodgers
News from Elmore Autauga
Known by his real name, Patrick Parker, Sgt. Push-Up is a decorated Iraqi war veteran who travels the nation to aid youngsters. He started his quest as a crusade to end starvation among children. His mission now has several facets. Sgt. Pushups fights bullying and malnutrition in children.
Sgt. Pushups claims that he is responsible for the welfare of every child in America, not just one. His goal is to ensure that they are well-fed, in a positive frame of mind, and deeply grasp the importance of serving others and their nation.
Sgt. Pushups sacrificed something that was very important to him in order to launch the campaign.
I sold my Mustang to begin this. After selling my Mustang, I began walking and using public transit to get to Maryland, where I made headlines. “Dude, you are crazy,” they said. He clarified, “You don’t have children; no, I have 75 million children.”
Sgt. Pushups started using public transit after selling the Mustang and participated in physical challenges like hopscotch and push-ups to generate money and awareness.
According to him, I would meet police officers and we would perform push-ups and jumping jacks before playing hopscotch and double Dutch with my portable hopscotch map.
A Chick-fil-A manager in Maryland noticed him during one of those physical challenges. The management gave Sgt. Pushup a challenge after witnessing his deed of charity.
Sgt. Pushups clarified, “That’s kind of nice,” said the Chick-fil-A manager. “Why would you do that?” he questioned me. “Well, I would like someone to do it for me,” I replied. Then he said, “I’ll give you a chicken sandwich for every ten pushups you complete.” I felt fantastic. I completed 2300 in three hours.
He continued after that. He gave those chicken sandwiches to everyone who donated to the food pantry as a way to encourage them to participate in a local food drive.
While serving in the military, Sgt. Pushups seen many difficult situations, but he claims that none of them are comparable to his present work combating bullying and starvation among children nationwide.
He clarified, “I completed 1000 pushups in every city.” The Utah food bank received all of the internet donations. I collected more than a million dinners. It was more difficult than serving in the Iraq War and the hardest thing I have ever done.
As he traverses the United States raising awareness of his cause and highlighting America’s love for children, Sgt. Pushups also distributes American flags and his books to children.
The comic workbook Sgt. Pushup Comes to the Rescue is an engaging educational resource designed to help kids identify the warning signs of bullying, improve their ability to talk to their parents about it, and provide families with safe, practical ways to prevent bullying.
Sgt. Pushups had fans from all over the nation sign the book and flag to give it a more intimate feel.
According to him, it’s a way of showing them how much America values them. Several people have signed the flag, expressing their love for America. They will thus realize how much these folks care for them when they place this on their wall.
He has encountered well-known people along the way, such as coaches and celebrities, and has been honored by mayors and governors for his work preventing bullying and hunger among children.
Over the years, I’ve met a lot of folks. “I met Muhammad Ali’s wife at a bullying event with Joe Gibbs, Coach Harborough, Coach Saban, Naomi Campbell, and myself,” he claimed.
Through a variety of programs and campaigns, Sgt. Pushups has provided more than a million meals to kids to date.
This year, he has turned his attention to bullying in childhood and how it affects today’s youth.
He added that 3069 children attempt suicide every day, which is why he set a target of 3,000,069 pushups this year.
He makes an effort to make his mission enjoyable. As a fan of Johnny Cash, Sgt. Pushups frequently listens to his songs while participating in a physical challenge. Additionally, he enjoys dressing like the Man in Blackdid.
When I’m performing pushups, you can almost always hear Johnny Cash playing in the background. He said, “I usually wear black because he wore black.”
Additionally, Sgt. Pushups wants to inspire kids to support their nation. wishing that they will eventually enlist in the military, like he did when he was a young adult.
According to him, there won’t be a military if we don’t look after the kids. We have never had numbers this low, if you notice.
Despite having grown up mostly in Maryland, Sgt. Pushups has strong ties to Autauga County and often visits the region. He is currently on his way back to Maryland, but he plans to return this summer to carry on his mission of assisting young people in overcoming the challenges of childhood.
Visit www.sgtpushup.com, www.instagram.com/sgtpushup, www.facebook.com/sgtpushup, or www.twitter.com/sgtpushup1 for additional information via the internet.
