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MOORESVILLE, N.C. — A North Carolina man has spent the last year paddleboarding up to eight hours a day. It’s not for personal gain, instead it’s to raise money for a good cause.

For most of his life, Gabe Barajas was a NASCAR mechanic and pit crew member. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was used to a busy work life with long hours and constant movement. But when he retired, he needed another activity to fill his time.

“It just so happened that a friend of mine had a paddleboard. I wanted to try something new and different,” Barajas said.

One year ago, Barajas hopped on a paddleboard for the first time. He started out paddling a quarter mile, and then a half a mile. The mileage continued to build up. After a few weeks, he was able to paddle 16 miles in just one day.

It took him nearly eight hours, but it was worth it.

“After I paddled 16 miles, thinking I had done something great, another friend of mine told me about a person who paddled 80 miles going across the ocean and I wanted to find out more,” Barajas said.

Barajas’s friend told him about The Crossing for Cystic Fibrosis. It raises money to find a cure for the lung-damaging disease. Athletes paddle 80 miles from Bimini Island, Bahamas to Lake Worth Beach, FL. It usually takes about 15 hours.

Barajas was inspired by the race founder from Florida, Travis Suit.

Suit’s daughter has cystic fibrosis, and he hopes the money raised can help people like his daughter live a better life. Barajas has two daughters. Neither of them have any illnesses, but as a father, he felt compelled to sign up to race. He started a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising $6,000 for cystic fibrosis.

“I feel like I can relate because as a parent you will do anything for your kids,” Barajas said. “As one father to another, I just want to help out.”

Barajas says he randomly found paddleboarding, but the sport has been such a blessing for his mind, body and soul. He believes there was a reason this sport fell into his lap.

“I just want to take something that I love and be able to benefit someone else that is in need,” Barajas said.

Planet Fitness is sponsoring Barajas during his race. It will take place June 22-26. To learn more visit the race website.