Washington man walking cross country stops in Pocatello
Since March 22, Jimmy Novak has been walking toward Orlando, Florida.
Starting in Dupont, Washington, Novak is on a 3,700-mile journey to raise awareness of veterans who are suffering from PTSD and suicidal thoughts, things that have impacted his own life.
“I wanted to be able to help others who might be going through the same struggle,” Novak said.
“I want the veteran community to know that they’re not alone in their struggles. A lot of us have PTSD, some of us do, some of us don’t, but they are certainly not alone.”
One constant on his walk is the number 22. According to Novak, a 2012 study said that approximately 22 veterans take their own lives each day. So Novak’s plan is to walk 22 miles each day, from March 22 until August 22, a 22-week span.
He’s already hit a few snags though. Road closures, a broken phone and unexpected weather have already added 27 days to his trip.
“There is the concern that I won’t be able to walk the whole distance, but I will be in Orlando on the 22nd of August either way,” he said.
It’s obvious to him that he’ll have to drive through some parts of the journey, like desolate parts of Wyoming, but his plan is to walk through as many big cities as possible.
“What I don’t want to do is skip over areas where there are a lot of people that I can talk to and interact with because, really, meeting people and spreading my message, that’s really what I’m out here to do.”
Many have helped Novak along the way, offering him meals or a place to sleep. But when he comes to a place without assistance he just sets up camp anywhere he can.
After spending a week in Pocatello waiting for a replacement phone, he plans to be back on the road tomorrow, making his way toward Soda Springs in his third pair of shoes.
“Just because someone is struggling with anxiety, depression, a moral injury, or suicidal thoughts, it’s not a permanent condition,” Novak said. “People do care.”
Novak encourages anyone who needs help to reach out to the Veterans Crisis Line.
