The thought of making Wagga toddler Billie Grace Richards proud is what gave livestock broker David Hill the determination to complete a three-day trek from Albury to Wagga.
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Billie, Mr Hill's great niece, tragically passed away on October 23 of last year from lymphoblastic leukaemia and a blood infection.
To mark one year since her passing and to pay tribute to the once bubbly little girl, Mr Hill walked 131 kilometres, raising more than $123,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation.
"It's the best we can do under the circumstances, we can't bring her back," Mr Hill said.
Mr Hill received a warm and emotional welcome in Wagga when he arrived on Sunday afternoon, with friends, loved ones and well-wishes waiting for him to cross the finish line at Victory Memorial Gardens.
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Despite rain, blisters and aching, sore muscles, if he could do it all again, Mr Hill most certainly would.
"Yesterday we wrote a check for $122,000, now we are sitting on $123,000 and still going up," he said.
"It was very hard three days, we got poured on for an hour and a half just outside of Albury on day one.
"The humidity on Sunday nearing Wagga was the biggest killer of the lot."
Mr Hill completed 51-kilometres on Friday, 45-kilometres on Saturday and 35-kilometres on Sunday, with ice baths and massages to keep him going, but there was one particular method he had up his sleeves to help.
"If I felt like I was starting to get tired or feel down I'd listen to the song Angels by Robbie Williams," Mr Hill said.
"That was the song that resonated with me. It reminded me that I could suck it up and get through it."
More than that though, Mr Hill had a mission to make his niece proud, with no doubt she would be looking down on him.
"I didn't want to let her down and I'm very determined," he said.
Billie was the daughter of Wagga's Tianna and Daniel Richards, Tianna being the daughter of David's youngest sister Kelly.
Anyone wishing to donate can go to fundraise.leukaemia.org.au and search Billie Grace Richards's leukaemia walk.
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