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 DETOUR TO THE EIFFEL TOWER 'A 5K in Paris with MS (and Humor)' Feature Story with Damian Washington When my dear friend, Damian Washington, told me he was walking a 5K from his home in Paris to the Eiffel Tower and back—for me (Allié), for our film ‘Because I Can’, and for our MS community—I was moved beyond words. I laughed through tears as I watched and listened to him narrate each moment with humor, honesty, and heart. This walk wasn’t just his—it was ours, step by step, proof that together, no distance is too far when walked with purpose and love for your community. Here is what Damian shared on his walk… I’m walking a 5K from my crib to the Eiffel Tower and back again, because I can. The homie Allié McGuire is running a 5K. She’s doing this race and really invited a bunch of her friends in the MS community, and a bunch of supporters and caregivers, to join her. Thar she blows, right there. (Eiffel Tower seen in the distance.) So let’s get to steppin’.  Ah, my usual route--‘barreé’—it’s closed for construction. So just like with multiple sclerosis, if I’m gonna do this, I’m gonna have to find another way to make it happen. Alright, we should be back on track now. So just like I said, you know, MS takes away your ability to do things like you thought you were gonna be able to—like going to the bathroom, or just living a regular, normal life, or your vision, or your energy. Literally, there are 20 things that can be wrong with you when you have MS that I can’t really think about right now because I’m walking and trying to film this video all at the same time. The point is, if you are determined, you can still get to your destination. There she go, right there. (Eiffel Tower seen in the distance.) One of the things you do when you have MS is you make adjustments. So, I have on a layer, and I had to take that layer off so I wouldn’t get too hot—because heat sensitivity is a thing. (Takes off one of his layers and ties it around his waist.) And this video would not be going on very well if I got overheated, and my knees didn’t work, and my balance didn’t work. So I just had to make sure to take off a layer so that it would be down here and ‘tied on me’, instead of ‘on me’ making it all hot—because ooo, child, this’d be a much shorter video than it is. When you have a condition like this, there are so many unseen things with its thumb on the scale. So people like to call it an ‘invisible disease’, but I know I see it. And the people around me, I know they feel it as well. One gorgeous thing about this town is that there are plenty of public benches here. So I’m just gonna have a nice little seat on one. They said they was gonna do the 5K, but you know, she said you could take as long as you need to get it done. Yeah, I’m gonna take my time—give myself some grace.  One of the MS homies says, “Yard by yard it’s hard, but inch by inch it’s a cinch.” Okay. So I just had to give myself a little rest, because inch by inch, baby. Boom, there you go, right there. (Eiffel Tower seen just behind him.) See, it’s right there. I mean, I would get closer, but my knees and my legs—just my overall fatigue—it’s just like, “Yo, bro, you know you’ve got to make it back home, right?” So, in order to honor that and still make my 5K, I’m just like, “Yeah, how about you just turn back around and go back home while you still can son?” Also, Allié’s doing this all at once. Like, bro, I’ve been stoppin’. I’ve been sitting on benches. I’ve been taking breaks to sit here and think of things to say. She’s doing this all at once—like it’s a thing to do. But of course it is, because she wants to. And if she wants to, and she can, why not? Because she can. Also, I can too—which is why I’m even making this video in the first place. Shout out to Allié McGuire. Shout out to all the MS patients out here who’s in my feed. Peace, joy, and love to you. ∎
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