GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – At sunrise, supporters gathered at the Kress Events Center to take part in “A Walk to Remember Alex Smolecki”: a 26.59-mile tribute to the UW-Green Bay swimmer who tragically passed away in February.
The route stretched from campus to Lambeau Field and back. While some completed the full marathon distance, many joined for portions of the walk, united by a shared mission, honoring Alex’s adventurous spirit and determination.
“Why we are doing this walk is because Alex had a spirit of zest for adventure and he never backed down from any challenge,” said his sister, Magda Maslach.
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Smolecki, a junior mechanical engineering student and member of the men’s swim and dive team, was known for pushing boundaries, whether that meant diving into workouts, running a marathon solo after it was canceled due to wildfires, or spontaneously flying to Japan to hike Mount Fuji.
“When he passed away tragically, we decided this is not it,” Maslach said. “We’re going to keep his legacy going and we invite everybody, challenge yourself. Grief is such a heavy thing.”…