Paddling 2,400 miles to help some heroes "These are some of the fittest, most motivated 19-year-olds you'll ever see," Norman said of the soldiers the charity assists. And just because he was wounded in a road-side bomb, doesn't stop him from being one of the fittest, most motivated people you'll ever see. The charity is all about getting these guys back to a stage where they can really live the rest of their lives. So far, they have raised more than $20,000. Day 35 of the arm-killing kayaking saw the trio pulling into St Louis, Missouri, where they were hosted in style by the generosity of the Embassy Suites St Louis - Downtown hotel, and Pi Pizza. They also featured on several local news channels (see picture below). "St Louis marked the halfway point for our trip and we couldn't have asked for a better city," the team said. It was crazy going from the muddy river banks of the Mississippi to the city - darting from one interview to the next was amazing fun. None of us have ever experienced anything like this before and St Louis proved that just when we think this trip can't get any better, guess what it does! The team anticipates arriving at the Gulf of Mexico sometime in August, stopping at cities and towns along the way, sleeping most nights on the riverbank in hammocks. They hope to have raised $30,000 for Help for Heroes by the time they reach New Orleans, and to have charted a strong course into their future endeavours. "We are so very proud of what the guys are doing, both in terms of the physical challenge and their fundraising for Help for Heroes," said Malcolm Norman, father of Sam Norman. Sam is currently serving in the British Army reserves. When he returns to the UK, he plans on heading to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to become a full-time British Army officer. Hogg and Fraser are still deciding their next steps. But with plenty of time on the Mississippi to discuss the future, and the sheer determination and character exhibited by the team, their future looks bright indeed. Follow the expedition and donate to Help for Heroes on themississippichallenge2013.weebly.com, on Facebook, and on Twitter @Mississippi2013