A 67 year old cancer survivor from Orange County, Florida, marked his recovery with a demanding river journey that stretched more than 2,000 miles and included his dog, Amos, at his side.

Frank Carter completed a 2,341 mile trip down the Missouri River over 64 days, according to reports from the Moffitt Cancer Center and FOX 13 News.

Carter made the journey in a cedar strip canoe that he built by hand. The route followed the longest U.S. river, beginning in Montana and ending near St. Louis, Missouri.

The trip was not simply a quiet paddle through open water. FOX 13 News reported that Carter and Amos camped along the riverbank while facing severe storms, high winds and hail.

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For Carter, the expedition followed years of long distance adventures. According to the Moffitt Cancer Center, he spent five months hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2019.

In 2020, he completed an eight week cross country bicycle ride from San Diego to New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Those earlier trips reflected a lifestyle built around endurance, motion and outdoor challenges.

However, Carter faced a different kind of test in 2021 after a routine 5K race. His recovery after the race did not feel normal to him.

"I was wiped out. I just wasn't recovering," Carter told FOX 13 News. "I went to my doctor, had blood tests. Long story short, in two weeks I was getting chemo."

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Doctors diagnosed Carter with mantle cell lymphoma, a rare form of blood cancer that originates in white blood cells known as lymphocytes. According to Moffitt Cancer Center, he received 15 rounds of chemotherapy in Orlando.

The treatment significantly reduced the cancer, but follow up exams still showed lingering traces of the disease. Carter then sought care at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.

At Moffitt, Carter underwent chimeric antigen receptor CAR T cell therapy. The treatment involves extracting the patient's own immune cells, genetically altering them in a laboratory so they can identify cancer cells, and adding them back into the body.

Dr. Michael Jain, an oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center, described the process to FOX 13 News. Carter received the therapy as a single infusion.

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Carter has remained free of cancer for four years after that infusion. During his recovery, Amos became a constant presence in his life.

Carter brought Amos home right before beginning chemotherapy. The dog later joined him for the long Missouri River journey.

"After my cancer diagnosis, I told myself I was going to beat this, and I really wanted a dog during the process," Carter told Moffitt's Endeavor publication. "I got Amos right before my first treatment."

Amos, described as a golden retriever, was with Carter throughout the 64 day paddle. Together, they traveled from Montana to near St. Louis in the handmade canoe.

Carter is now sharing his story to encourage other patients to remain active and hopeful. His journey connected the physical endurance he valued before his diagnosis with the recovery that followed his treatment.

The Missouri River trip also served as a personal celebration after years of cancer care. For Carter and Amos, the 2,341 mile route became both an adventure and a statement of resilience.