It's been almost two years since Hunter Gandee first carried his younger brother Braden 40 miles from Temperance to Ann Arbor, raising awareness for cerebral palsy along the way.

Both the Bedford sophomore and his 9-year-old brother have grown considerably since that walk, as have their ambitions and national popularity. On Saturday, they continued their third and final "Cerebral Palsy Swagger" event, marching from Chelsea to Stockbridge while surrounded by a group of supporters.

The six-day, 111-mile journey began Wednesday in Temperance and will conclude Monday afternoon at the Capitol building in Lansing.

"We had so much support through our last two walks and felt we couldn't stop there," Hunter said. "This time we wanted to take it a step further with a bigger challenge and by reaching new people in a new area.

"We want to challenge the world at all levels to take necessary steps toward inclusion."

Each walk has been aimed at raising awareness for the neurological disorder, which Braden was born with. More specifically, the third CP Swagger has the goal of targeting younger generations by making stops along the way at various high schools and universities.

"Hunter felt if he could show them the need when they're young and in school, they'd go into their studies and the work force with it in their hearts," said Danielle Gandee, Hunter and Braden's mother. "They'd be more aware of it and it'd be a more natural focus to improve (handicap accessibility)."

Planning for the final walk began in December. The family consulted with doctors and therapists to make sure both boys could handle the trip.

Back in June, Braden underwent a major surgery in which doctors severed certain sensory nerve fibers in his spinal cord, which had been causing his muscles to constrict unnecessarily.

Since then, he has had to undergo physical therapy to relearn many activities, including sitting up and crawling. Danielle said the healing process is expected to be about 18-24 months.

"He's regaining some skills he lost as the muscles squeezed tighter, and gaining some skills he hadn't been able to do before like stepping backward," she said.

"There are children that go through this and regain the ability to walk. It's always a dream, a hope, but we did it mostly to avoid injury. His muscles were tightening so much that they could cause bowing in his bones that could cause unnecessary weakness."

Both brothers have undergone training over the last four months to prepare for the difficult journey. Hunter has been working out with a personal trainer and carrying a weighted pack to school and on walks to simulate Braden's weight.

The brothers haven't made the journey alone. In addition to the rest of the Gandee family, members from various communities have joined along the way, including students from the schools along the trail.

As the group nears the end of the walk Monday, the goal is for Braden to lead the final half-mile.

"(Braden) is adamant about that," Danielle said. "We've tried to tell him we're not positive but he is and he gets upset if I try to talk him out of it. With the support, he can probably do it."

For updates and the complete schedule, visit The Cerebral Palsy Swagger Facebook Page.

Justin P. Hicks is a sports reporter and storyteller for MLive / The Ann Arbor News. If you have a unique story you'd like to share, you can reach me at jhicks3@mlive.com. I'm also on Twitter, Facebook and MLive.