ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A Michigan man has completed his nearly 1,500-mile journey on foot from Florida to Michigan, raising money for the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund (FWSF).

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“Veterans gave us the ability to chase our dreams. This is a chance to pay that back to them,” said Jack Huffman, retired U.S. Army helicopter mechanic. “They made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can pursue what makes us happy.”

Huffman’s journey began in Sarasota, Florida, on May 13. It concluded two months later in Rochester Hills, Michigan, at the annual Salute Our Warriors event organized by the FWSF. Huffman averaged thirty miles of walking per day while pulling a cart with 200 pounds of supplies, including his tent, sleeping bag, and staff for fire performances. He also brought along a pet carrier for Nikki, a white dove who was ceremonially released at the end of his journey and is trained to return to her handler.

“I have lots of family and friends that are veterans,” Huffman said. “My buddy, Ken, he has all the doves, and he has a lot of places all across the country, and we built the whole route around the dove releases and being able to do them with our veterans.”

Huffman’s latest cross-country journey is the latest in a series of completed fundraising walks. In 2019, he walked from California to Georgia, racking up 5.3 million steps and raising money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. He also walked Michigan’s longest lake-to-lake trail, and in 2022, he walked from Belle Isle to Mackinac Island in just 10 days, averaging 35 miles per day. Along the way, he has shared his progress with Garmin LiveTrack on his Facebook page, so supporters can track his journey in real time.

“This walk is to help unite and inspire our communities to get walking and healthy, that our dreams are within reach,” Huffman said on his website. “We just have to take the steps to get there.”