Outside Reading #2

Ashley Barham
12/1/15

One of my outside readings was an article from trailtherapy.org. One man tells his story in a video. In 1999, Steve Fugate's son committed suicide. He tried numerous forms of therapy to help him grieve and heal, such as mental health groups, one-on-one counseling, and medication, but nothing worked.  He realized that other people are suffering in the same way that his son was, so he wanted to be a reminder to those people to love life. Steve walks with a sign attached to his pack that reads “LOVE LIFE,” and many cars that pass by honk in encouragement. He has walked all forty-eight continental states, over 40,000 miles, and has crossed the United Sates more than eight times. In 2005, while on his hike across America spreading his message in memory of his son, his daughter tragically died of an accidental overdose. Steve describes his pain as feeling like his heart had been carved out of his chest, but still he walked on. Only now, he walks for both of his children. In the video, he explains his hike to be the ultimate healing process as walking so freely across the county has been enlightening and sharing his heart-wrenching story with strangers all over has provided him with kindness and friendship he has never known.