Canadian man completes 11-year walk around the world
19th October 2011
Forget "around the world in 80 days", this is the inspirational story of the real life Forrest Gump who walked around the world in 11 years.
In the year 2000, Montrealer Jean Beliveau was suffering from a spiralling mid-life depression after his small sign business had gone bankrupt. With the feeling of no self worth and non-diminishing doom he longed to run away and leave the life he had always known along with his two children and devoted girlfriend. On 18th August 2000, Jean’s 45th birthday, he decided he would run and just keep running to release him of his gripping pain and frustration. Like a real life Forrest Gump, he ran all the way from his hometown in Montreal to Atlanta in the state of Georgia.
From there he slowed his pace and this became the start of an incredible, uninterrupted and brisk 46,600-mile walk around the world.
With his only possessions packed into a three-wheel stroller, he set out with just CAN$4,000 (£2501.98). This wandering man took shelter under bridges of a night or slept in homeless shelters and sometimes the occasional kind stranger would take him in.
At one point he even wavered from his deep relationship with his girlfriend Archambault by falling in love for nine days in Mexico. But he, “Ulysses”, stayed loyal to “his Penelope” who on every Christmas jetted across the world to wherever he was in order to spend the holiday with him. It was Archambault, in fact, who encouraged Jean to use his walk to promote peace and non-violence for children, in connection with the UNESCO proclamation.
But, his journey was not always a pleasant one. He had to be escorted by armed soldiers in the Philippines, fell critically ill in Algeria and even got mugged by two drunkards in South Africa. But his lowest point came whilst he was in Ethiopia. After being detained in a violent prison, for no obvious reason, he became overwhelmed by desolation and this nearly provoked the end. He explained how “after food and shelter, a man needs to feel like he belongs.” But with the encouragement and comfort of Archambault, who had been keeping in contact via Skype, he was persuaded to continue.
11 years later, after accumulating 75,000 kilometres, trekking through barren desserts and climbing monstrous mountains he had acquired over 100 supporters, who on the 16th October, walked by his side through the streets of Montreal. With the end of his epic journey in sight, he told news reporters that he was “giddy” to be finally arriving back home.
He was met like a hero, by a crowd of loved ones and well-wishers; all eager to hear about his amazing expedition. His mother, who he had not seen in 11 years, hugged her greatly missed son in an inescapable embrace. And Jean’s son, Thomas Eric, who was twenty at the time of his father’s departure, told reporters that he thought what his dad had done was “cool”.
It was then that Jean revealed how much of a changed man he was. He told all who was listening that his new goal was to persuade Canada and other governments to set up “ministries of peace.” Also he mentioned that he intended to write a book about his experience and to lecture about “life on Earth – our different colours, different beliefs and different political systems.” Displaying a well-earned wisdom he told the crowd that “we may never have peace but if we take one step forward, and then another, I think we can create a better world together.”
Although Jean finally arrived home without a penny to his name, he said that he now has a “wealth of knowledge and understanding.”
More like this
Profile of Alastair Humphreys and a little bit about his four-year around the world cycle... | Blogs More
Ten different ways of travelling around the world... | Advice More
Is around-the-world travel glamour-less?... | Blogs More
Top tips for solo travel... | Destinations More
12 of the best places to walk in the world... | Inspire Me More