Obstacles can scare even the most determined individual but overcoming many of them is an art which can only be handled by the unique. The unique have the gumption to withstand any obstacles which come in their way to achieve the objectives they have in mind.
This is a story about one individual who overcame numerous obstacles and even lost 37 pounds when he decided to begin a fundraiser for the Michael J Fox Foundation For Parkinson’s Research.
The individual did not use fundraising platforms which may perhaps have allowed him to raise the funds from the comfort of his home. He decided to begin a walkathon and covered 2594 miles until he raised $120,000 for the research.
It must be mentioned that the individual himself is diagnosed as suffering from early-onset Parkinson’s and the information was provided to him in 2012 when he was just 43.
Bill Bucklew can be a role model for couch potatoes
Bucklew walked a distance of 2594 miles to raise the funds for Parkinson’s research without using any of the popular fundraising platforms which he could have done. His journey spanned eight states which included Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, California, New Mexico, and Arizona.
Bucklew wore out 26 pairs of shoes and also lost 37 pounds despite not being obese. However, he had to overcome the obstacles which frequently haunted him without warning. Bucklew did not balk at them but on the contrary, decided to challenge them head-on. His success should make couch potatoes believe he is a role model for them.
Overcoming multiple obstacles
Apart from the fact that he lost weight and also wore out numerous pairs of footwear Bucklew also had to encounter all the obstacles which he had not anticipated. Given below is a list of the problems he encountered before he eventually succeeded in his objective.
- Bucklew encountered a rainstorm lasting 15 hours when walking with a member of the Fox team.
- A rainstorm lasting 15 hours in Texas: Bucklew has mentioned that he was walking with Jimmy Choi who is another member of the Fox team when it began raining and continued pouring all day. The pair continued walking even in the relentless pain until 6 PM in the evening for 11 hours. The rain left blisters on his feet despite changing his socks and shoes along with his clothes frequently.
- Bucklew had an encounter with coyotes also in Texas: after having dinner which was brought in by his wife and going for a walk in the evening Bucklew had a pack of coyotes following him and howling from every side of the road. Some of the animals were just a few feet away from him.
- Attacked by 16 dogs: within the states of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Arkansas Bucklew encountered consistent encounters with dogs during nights. He faced problems with an owner of a dog who wouldn’t call the dog back, another one which attacked him at full speed and also attacked his walking stick by its mouth.
Bucklew walking cross country despite major challenges - A stress fracture: Bucklew had huge blisters on both his feet throughout the walkathon especially on his toes. He had to redesign his shoes to relieve the pressure from his toes and while the redesigning helped to relieve the pressure from his toes it brought upon him the problem of additional pressure on the top of his foot.
- Bucklew had a run-in with a hurtling mailbox during a windstorm: the wind began picking up an hour after what Bucklew believed was a beautiful morning. He had to encounter wind speeds of 30 to 35 miles per hour which increased to gusts between 40 to 50 miles per hour. He was watching debris off all types fly by him causing him to stop in a ditch and call for taxis. It was at this moment that a giant mailbox flew past him right over his head.
Bucklew who is also diagnosed with the onset of early Parkinson’s was not looking forward to raising the funds for himself but it was a foundation which is conducting research on Parkinson’s.
He could have used the easier method of requesting for funds by creating a campaign on websites which are promoting crowdfunding. However, Bucklew decided to set an example which would make every person realize that determination and hard work can bring in the rewards not just for themselves but also for the benefit of mankind.