DARUJ/DONATE SLOVENIJA:

Zavod TANIDA, Rozna Dolina, c XV 010, 1000 Ljubljana

Bank Account No: SI 56 0310 0100 3107 849 (Opened at SKB Banka)

Dejan Kralj

Dejan Kralj is a Slovenian slalom whitewater kayaker who competed at a professional level between 1990 and 2012. As a junior, he received five medals from junior world championships. In 2000, he was part of the Olympic team in Sydney where he finished 10th. He holds a silver medal from the 2001 individual kayak slalom (K1) World Cup, and a bronze medal in the kayak slalom team event (3xK1) from the 2005 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in Penrith, Australia. He also holds five medals in the kayak slalom (3 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze) from the European Championships.
In addition to slalom competitions, Dejan is one of the best extreme paddlers with a silver medal from the 2013 Extreme Whitewater World Championship. He was also a member of the Bober rafting team with 6 world championship titles.
After his competitive career, Dejan finished two IRONMAN triathlons.
Dejan has a degree for physical education and coaching from the University of Maribor, and has worked as a coach for World Cup athletes from New Zealand, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic and Slovenia. He has a talent and a passion as an educator in fitness and sports, for children and adults.

Jernej Čopič

In his teenage, Jernej's aspirations as a white-water kayaker were interrupted by a chronic kidney disease from an unknown cause. In 2008, while on faculty at UCLA as an economist, he received his first kidney transplant from immediate family. He received his second kidney transplant from his best friend Dejan Kralj in 2022. Both kidney transplants were performed by Dr. Alvin Gritsch, under the caring eye of Dr. Gabriel Danovitch, at the UCLA Connie Frank Kidney Transplant Clinic.
As a cellist, Jernej studied cello with famed teachers and soloists, Ciril Skerjanc, Jurgen de Lemos, and Mineo Hayashi, students of monumental cellists of the 20th century, Pau Casals and Andre Navarra. Jernej holds a PhD in social sciences (Game Theory) from California Institute of Technology, as an economist he was on faculty at Yale, UCLA, and is currently serves as a researcher for the Centre National de la Rècherche Scientifique (CNRS) at the Aix-Marseille School of Economics. In 1998, Jernej organized a fundraiser to help victims of an earthquake that took place that spring in NW Slovenia, and to raise awareness for the patients with the HIV. Over the course of nine days, he rode his bicycle with his cello for 900 km, about a hundred km per day, and every night he performed a concert in collaboration with his friends. For that, he received the yearly award of the Aids Foundation Robert, and the yearly award of the City of Ljubljana.

Dejan & Jernej

We became friends during our childhood, when we met at our kayak club (Kajak Kanu Klub Ljubljana -- Kayaking and Canoeing Club Ljubljana). During those years we trained and competed with the other friends at the club, and from other clubs in Slovenia and former Yugoslavia. Together we won a team medal at the 1990 Yugoslavian junior national championships in whitewater downriver racing. After Jernej's illness, when our careers took different paths, we remained closest friends. We to paddle together on the rivers, and then began dedicating more time to sea kayaking. We share a passion for other outdoor sports, bicycle riding, running, mountaineering, skiing. We share a deeply ingrained appreciation for an intimate relationship with the Nature, and to both of us human companionship and friendship are basic needs. From that need arises a reliance and care for others. We also share a passion as educators.
A case in the point. When Jernej found out that he needed a second kidney transplant, Dejan was the first to allay Jernej's worries, "Dude, I will give you a kidney." That was only the beginning of our long adventure together. In order to get there, in a brief glance, we had to pool together all our reserves of energy end resourcefulness. Dejan had to unwaveringly persevere with his decision through many difficulties for the next several years, when he eventually came to Los Angeles for his selfless gift of new life to Jernej. Jernej rode his bicycle with his cello on his back, while undergoing dialysis, to perform Bach's suites for solo cello at farmers' markets and a coffee shop next to his apartment in Los Angeles. Physical activity was key to remain relatively healthy while on dialysis, music was key for emotional survival, for sociability and engagement with community, and donations for his performances were essential for financial survival as well as proper nutrition. On this challenging journey that has brought us together even closer, we made new friends, and ultimately, all this was only possible because of the support of our friends from our various communities.
We chose to do our effort in sea kayaks, with the cello, and with our friends. Sea kayak has for us always been the sportive activity that is enjoyed in the company of friends in a beautiful natural setting, and with a minimal negative impact on Nature. It is also an activity that can be equally enjoyed by our friend, who became paraplegic due to a terrible accident, and who will join us on our adventure. Music brings people together. At the end of the day, these are the things we believe in and that make us happy: friendship, care for others and for Nature, music, and leading a healthy and happy lifestyle (that may in many cases prevent illness or need for organ transplantation). We believe that it is our duty as adults to help children in need, and also to aspire to set a good example - to inspire!

Oh, we chose the name for our common adventure because at so many points, there was only one route that we could take. Now the only route we can take is this one!