Walk Accross America

Man walking across America has reached Eastern Iowa

 Jim Hickey’s back aches from carrying his 55-pound backpack and he suffers from bouts with severe shin splints. Yet somehow, he continues to push forward with his walk in the hope that it will help raise awareness of prostate cancer and other chronic health conditions.

“I literally saw my dad die in front of my eyes because of prostate cancer, and six months later my brother was diagnosed with it,” Hickey said while resting at an Iowa City hotel. “Luckily my brother survived, but after seeing them suffer, I knew there was something I had to do.”

In 1998, Hickey decided that the best ”something” he could do to help the cause was to walk across the country. Although he admits that he believed his idea was “a little crazy,” he sold his car, quit his job, and headed out. Over the next three years and three months he would walk a total of 2,154 miles.

“I made it all the way to Clovis, N.M., but at that point I the support team I needed to help me cross the desert and mountains fell through,” Hickey said. “I didn’t want to end up like a Georgia O’Keeffe [skull] painting.”

On his next attempt, Hickey walked 2,282 miles from Washington D.C. to Denver, Colorado before returning home to take care of his ailing mother. Once her condition improved, he set out again,  but Hickey only made it 705 miles before heading home.

“My mom passed away,” Hickey said. “It was the biggest blow because I wanted her to see me finish so bad — she was my biggest supporter.”

Hickey’s fourth attempt starting out of Charlotte, North Carolina didn’t go much better.

Now that he is on his fifth attempt, which began on April 2, 2010, Hickey says that sometimes curious onlookers who have heard about him or want to know how to help organizations will walk alongside him.

“People need to know I don’t accept donations for the organizations I support,” Hickey said. “They should make donations directly to those organizations — I’m just here to raise awareness.”

Although Hickey says that he most often receives positive feedback from the people he meets while on the road, he has had things thrown at him from car windows and is often heckled.

“If I had a dime for every time I’ve been called Forrest Gump I’d be a rich man,” Hickey said. “But I don’t mind because that was the last movie my father and I watched together.

Eastern Iowa Life – Man walking across America has reached Eastern ...

 Jim Hickey’s back aches from carrying his 55-pound backpack and he suffers from bouts with severe shin splints. Yet somehow, he continues to push forward with his walk in the hope that it will help raise awareness of prostate cancer and other chronic health conditions.

“I literally saw my dad die in front of my eyes because of prostate cancer, and six months later my brother was diagnosed with it,” Hickey said while resting at an Iowa City hotel. “Luckily my brother survived, but after seeing them suffer, I knew there was something I had to do.”

In 1998, Hickey decided that the best ”something” he could do to help the cause was to walk across the country. Although he admits that he believed his idea was “a little crazy,” he sold his car, quit his job, and headed out. Over the next three years and three months he would walk a total of 2,154 miles.

“I made it all the way to Clovis, N.M., but at that point I the support team I needed to help me cross the desert and mountains fell through,” Hickey said. “I didn’t want to end up like a Georgia O’Keeffe [skull] painting.”

On his next attempt, Hickey walked 2,282 miles from Washington D.C. to Denver, Colorado before returning home to take care of his ailing mother. Once her condition improved, he set out again,  but Hickey only made it 705 miles before heading home.

“My mom passed away,” Hickey said. “It was the biggest blow because I wanted her to see me finish so bad — she was my biggest supporter.”

Hickey’s fourth attempt starting out of Charlotte, North Carolina didn’t go much better.

Now that he is on his fifth attempt, which began on April 2, 2010, Hickey says that sometimes curious onlookers who have heard about him or want to know how to help organizations will walk alongside him.

“People need to know I don’t accept donations for the organizations I support,” Hickey said. “They should make donations directly to those organizations — I’m just here to raise awareness.”

Although Hickey says that he most often receives positive feedback from the people he meets while on the road, he has had things thrown at him from car windows and is often heckled.

“If I had a dime for every time I’ve been called Forrest Gump I’d be a rich man,” Hickey said. “But I don’t mind because that was the last movie my father and I watched together.

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