Charity Rower Pushes on in Wake of Sex Assault

Continuing 1,500-mile trek on Lake Michigan
By Mark Russell,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 26, 2012 5:58 AM CDT
Charity Rower Pushes on in Wake of Sex Assault
This sketch provided by the Michigan State Police shows the suspect wanted in connection with the reported sexual assault of Jenn Gibbons on Sunday, July 22, 2012.   (AP Photo/Michigan State Police)

A 27-year-old woman rowing 1,500 miles around Lake Michigan for charity says she will continue her journey despite being sexually assaulted on Sunday, reports the Chicago Tribune. Jenn Gibbons was attacked while sleeping in her rowboat by a man who was apparently following her journey online. "Every single day I have had ups and downs," said Gibbons, founder of Recovery on Water, a charity that emphasizes the importance of exercise in fighting breast cancer. "I'm constantly improvising. I've trained well. This just requires pushing through an obstacle that's bigger than the rest."

"Quitting is an option," said Gibbons. "I don't think people would think I let them down or I was a failure. But it's not what I want to do." Gibbons has rowed 10 to 13 miles a day since beginning her journey on June 15, and raised $92,000 toward her goal of $150,000. For more details about Gibbons' journey, check out her website Row4row.org, or to donate, go here. (More Recovery on Water stories.)

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