HEADING TO THE FINISH LINE

AIDS Activist prepares for final 1,500 mile row to New York City

MIAMI, Florida -Victor Mooney, 49, of Queens, New York returned home Sunday after recovering The Spirit of Malabo from Haiti. Mr. Mooney was robbed by pirates off the coast of Haiti while heading home in October. 

In a ten year quest that took three failed attempts, Mooney successfully crossed the Atlantic Ocean in June becoming the first African-American to achieve this feat. Mooney’s journey was in honor of his brother who died of AIDS 1983 and designed to encourage voluntary HIV testing.

“The Spirit of Malabo is wounded, but not dead”, said Victor Mooney. “Miami based Spencer Boat Company is on standby to repair the boat and so I can complete the final 1,500 mile row to New York”, Mooney added. The rower expects to launch the Spirit of Malabo at the Miami International Boat Show in February. 

The recovery of the Spirit of Malabo was supported by US Embassy in Haiti, US Coast Guard, Office of US Congresswoman Grace Meng, Haitian Coast Guard, Haitian National Police, Haiti Embassy in Washington, DC, residents of Turtle Island, Haiti and The Republic of Equatorial Guinea.

On World AIDS Day, Mr. Mooney was invited to The White House to be apart of America’s continued pursuit of ending the epidemic.  This year’s annual gathering of government officials, scientists, clergy, private sector and activists is ‘Focus, Partner, Achieve: An AIDS-free Generation.’ 

The Spirit of Malabo will be presented to the United Nations during the opening of the General Assembly in September 2015.

On the net: goreechallenge.com, facebook.com/goreechallenge 

Photo Handout: The Spirit of Malabo boards Ms. Diana for a 40 nm tow from Turtle Island, Haiti to the Port of Cap Haitian. The Brazilian built ocean rowboat arrives this week in Miami by Haiti Shipping Lines.