CINCINNATI - A Tri-State man is participating in a 24-hour marathon to raise money to save lives, but he’s not running or dancing or shooting free throws.
Joe Gryniewski is sitting in front of a screen, controller in hand, immersed in the world of online gaming. Gryniewski is playing Fortnite and Madden NFL and some retro games and hoping to raise donations for suicide prevention.
WATCH Gryniewski in action in the video player above.
Fortnite is like the movie series, "The Hunger Games," said Gryniewski, "but only with 100 people."
The goal is simple: Stay alive.
"There's a lot of strategy to it. It's very interesting," he said.
Staying alive is also a goal Gryniewski wants to promote in real life. His cousin Robbie took his own life recently, Gryniewski said.
“My family talked with him a few weeks prior and he was talking about going to college, enlisting in the Army. He had all these goals and dreams he wanted to reach and attain," Gryniewski said.
"I've tried to stay away from the 'why did this happen, how did this happen,' and focus more on what can be done."
Gryniewski is hoping to raise $1,200 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. You can donate at the AFSP website. He's he’s also posted a link on his Twitch page.
The gaming marathon started a little after 8 p.m. Sunday. Gryniewski said he planned to play well into the night and then a friend would take a shift for him while he slept.
Gryniewski wants to remind you that if you’re having depression or sadness or feeling lonely, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
