Dad rides bike across Florida on Christmas to raise money for Salvation Army

WEEKI WACHEE, Fla. (FOX 13) - Jeff Burow is back from the trip of his life - from Weeki Wachee to Cocoa Beach, by bike.

"It is hard because you know how far you have to go," he said. "And you know how far you have already gone."

He got the idea after his kids said they didn't want presents for Christmas. Instead, they wanted to help people.

Kennadie, 14, helped with the plan: Starting midnight Christmas Eve, her dad would bike across the state of Florida.

"We should do that in one day as our fundraiser," Jeff recalled her saying. "It just really says they're selfless kids."

So off they went: 310 miles, mostly on SR-50, Jeff biking, mom and kids alongside, driving their car.

To understand his determination, it helps to know he was raising money for the Salvation Army's anti-domestic violence shelter. 

It helps, even more, to know why.

"I am a survivor and victim of domestic violence. One of my earliest childhood memories was of my dad almost choking my mom to death," he said. "So that was always one of the things in the back of my head of who we are doing this for,"

He raised $2,000 for the journey that took him past Kennedy Space Center, and finally to Cocoa Beach, where he turned around.

He averaged 16 miles-per-hour, burned 16,000 calories and pedaled for over 18 hours. 

But after pedaling for 18 hours and being on the road for 25, he made it to just outside Brooksville. His body started to give way at 1 a.m. Christmas morning.

"I was done, as far as gas in the tank goes, 40 miles before that," he said.

The people who gave him the idea got him to keep going.

"I stopped, got off my bike and put my head down," he said. "I put in all this effort and I am not going to be able to finish. My daughter came up to me and said, 'Come on dad, you've got this.'"

A few miles later, with 15 miles to Pine Island, his wife Nicole insisted it was over. 

They drove to meet the Salvation Army greeter at Weeki Wachee, with a story to tell, and a plan for next year.

"It is going to be a different route, but this will probably be something we do every single year," he said.

Burow will give $1,000 to the Salvation Army, and another $1,000 will be split among several families who are in desperate need this holiday season.