Erickson twins to rappel 27 stories

Peter and John Erickson

"It's a little intimidating to think about climbing over the edge at 27 stories," Pete Erickson said.

Twin brothers Pete and John Erickson are rappelling 278 feet down theWit Hotel on September 12 as part of Skyline Plunge! Chicago. Hosted by Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, the event will raise more than $110,000 to support lung disease research, advocacy and education. Like most of the 100 participants in the event, the brothers have been touched by lung disease.

John and Pete are dedicating their rappel to the memory of their "Aunt" Phyllis Maggos, a family friend who passed away from lung cancer. The Erickson and Maggos families were close; the parents were friends and the children grew up together. When Phyllis passed away suddenly at only 39 years old, both families were shaken.

"One day she was fine, the next day she was in the hospital, and before we knew it, she was gone" John said. "It was hard on all of us. If anything we can do would spare another family this kind of loss, it's worth it all."

At the time that she was diagnosed and passed away, John and Pete were seniors in high school. Still, even 35 years later, they remember how the loss affected them and are looking forward to doing something positive in her memory.

"Plunge! immediately appeals to me because I get to honor Aunt Phyllis," said Pete. He is happy that his fundraising efforts will contribute to lung cancer research as well as smoking-prevention and education for teens.

Adding to their drive to rappel, John is excited to take on the challenge as someone who is visually impaired. John lost his vision between 12 and 16, and is now fully blind in one eye and sees very little with the other. Still, he is a downhill skier who won the national division in his category, and both brothers participated in Respiratory Health Association's Hustle Up the Hancock, a 94-flight stair climb up the famed Chicago building.

"I like doing stuff that people think I can't do, and Skyline Plunge! is right up there," John said.

For Pete, the event is more about supporting his brother than it is taking a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rappel 27 stories in the heart of Chicago.

"I've never done any rappelling, and I don't know what to expect" Pete said. "Had John not been so gung-ho about it, I probably wouldn't have registered. But now that we're committed to doing it together, I'm up for the challenge!"

For John, this was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

"I'm excited about being on top of the building," John said. "I saw the old, old Batman movies on TV, and this is my own little opportunity to be on a movie set."

To support John's or Pete's fundraising efforts or to offer words of encouragement, visit www.lungchicago.org/johnerickson or www.lungchicago.org/petererickson.

For more information about Skyline Plunge! Chicago, visit www.skylineplunge.org.