Meet the Michigan Man Who Spent 76 Days Traveling 3,000 Miles Across the United States

A Michigan man spent 76 days walking more than 3,000 miles to raise money for the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund.

He called the march the “Sundog Run.”

Jack “Jax” Huffman began the march on March 14 in Dana Strands Beach, California, and completed it 76 days later on May 28 in Washington, DC.

The Royal Oak native has received more than $265,000 in donations from across the country. Donors could sponsor a kilometer of his walk for $10.

Throughout the journey, he pushed a 150-pound cart containing everything he needed, including a generator, tent, sleeping bag, food and water.

During the walk, Huffman wore seven pairs of shoes, or about one pair every 10 days. Huffman traveled between 30 and 60 miles each day and crossed 13 states. He drove through a snowstorm, climbed the Rocky Mountains, and endured torrential rains and wild animals.

Huffman said he started walking because he wanted to change his lifestyle.

“Drinking, smoking and unhealthy eating – it was a part of my life for a long time,” Huffman wrote on his website. “This lifestyle made me overweight, unhappy, depressed and wanting something better. I remember looking at my young son and knowing I had to make a change. I was going to be the best example possible for my son. So, I changed.

Huffman said he walks 20 miles a day and has lost 50 pounds.

“I saw an incredible transformation in myself and was now ready to pursue my life’s dream,” he said. “A walk across America – and not just a leisurely stroll, but a quest to walk from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean in 100 days or less.”

Huffman created Jaxwalk to give back to people in the community. Jaxwalk’s motto is: “One day at a time, one step at a time, we can change the world!” »

“Her goal was to make a difference by walking,” said Tamara Ragon, Huffman’s partner. “He wanted to show his son that dreams are possible. The idea was to show people that anything is possible.

Huffman completed his first cross-country walk in 2019. The walk spanned more than 2,800 miles from Newport Beach, California, to Tybee Island, Georgia. He finished in 79 days and raised money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Last year, he walked from Sarasota, Florida, to Rochester Hills, Michigan, 1,500 miles in 60 days. He raised money for the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund.

Huffman wanted to walk across America again because he wanted to break the world record for running. Although he didn’t break the record, he took more than five million steps during his journey and raised $265,000 for veterans.

The Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund helps Michigan-based soldiers pay for living expenses and provide assistance to families of fallen soldiers.