NEW YORK -- Saying he knows what real heroism is, former New York Giants star George Martin began a cross-country walk to raise money for ailing ground zero workers. A captain of the 1987 Super Bowl champions, Martin was cheered on by a few dozen volunteers Sunday as he stepped onto the pedestrian walkway of the George Washington Bridge, which connects Manhattan and New Jersey. "I've been termed a hero for playing a kids' game at a pro level, and that does not rise to the level of heroic," Martin said Saturday as he got ready for his journey. "I think of 9/11, when I saw people respond and put their health, their careers, their lives in jeopardy." Walking briskly, he hopes to cover at least 30 miles a day in a march that, if all goes well, will end at San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge in about four months. Martin said he was moved by the stories of World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers who began getting ill years after the terror attacks. There is evidence that some illnesses may be linked to the toxic dust of the twin towers. He hopes the walk will raise $10 million. ___ On the Net: Martin's Web site:
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