First woman to skateboard across US raises $50K for spinal research

A 29-year-old has become the first woman to skateboard across the US, raising $50,000 for spinal cord research.

Brooke Johnson completed the 3,266-mile journey in 119 days, travelling from Santa Monica, California, to Virginia Beach, finishing on Friday.

Johnson undertook the challenge to raise money for Wings for Life, a nonprofit spinal cord research foundation, in honour of her late stepfather Roger.

Roger had broken his C5 vertebrae, became a quadriplegic and later died from the spinal cord injury.

The C5 vertebra is in the neck region of the spine, and injury at this level usually causes paralysis in all four limbs.

From inclement weather to tough terrain and holes in her shoes, Johnson persevered through every obstacle, raising funds and setting a new world record.

“He’s, like, supported me through this whole thing – it’s actually crazy,” Johnson told ABC Norfolk station WVEC about her stepfather’s presence motivating her.

Before his death, Johnson said she and Roger had hoped to cross the finish line together, with her pushing him in his wheelchair.

“I was like, ‘Roger it’s a really big country.’ And he was like, ‘Well, you can do it,'” Johnson said.

She wore a heart-shaped necklace containing Roger’s ashes when she crossed the Red Bull finish line on Friday.

“Roger left me purpose, and for that I thank him every single day,” she said.

Johnson shared a recap of the journey on her Instagram page on Saturday.

The video montage was set to an old voicemail from her stepfather, which she said “was one of those messages that felt like he left it for the present moment.”

“If there’s one thing you take away from this trip, it’s that you can truly do anything you put your mind to,” she wrote.