Michigan man’s walk across the country for veterans brings him to West Virginia

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — Every day, people try to get their steps in to keep up with their health, but one Michigan man is taking that to the next level as he’s walked nearly 3,000 miles across the country to raise money for the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund.

Since setting out from Dana Strands, California on Pi Day (March 14), Army Veteran Jack Huffman has already raised more than $265,000 on his third journey to Washington, D.C. In 2019 he raised $8,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and raised $15,000 for the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund in 2023.

12 News got a chance to speak with Huffman as his journey brought him through north central West Virginia.

“Veterans are very underserved and I mean I have a lot of family members that have served a long time in the military, and…they gave us the opportunity to chase our dreams and I’d really like to support them,” said Huffman.

Huffman said he and his girlfriend Tamara Ragon have been able to raise a lot more this year thanks to a bigger online presence, which Ragon manages. The pair raise the funds through their website where people can donate directly as well as sponsor miles.

On this year’s journey, Huffman has walked through 11 states, experiencing blizzards, tornadoes, lightning storms, a bear and coyotes—all in 71 days. He’s also gone through seven pairs of shoes in that time.

If you encounter Huffman, you’ll see he’s pushing a cart carrying 150 pounds of equipment including a GPS tracker and a Go-Pro to document his journey. He’s also donning a purple shirt that he said is for a purpose.

“You know, red and blue make purple, that it doesn’t matter what side of the fence that you stand on, that we are much more united than we are portrayed to be. Some people have no idea what I’m doing and they’re just really showing the kindness and caring that America is really about,” said Huffman.

When asked if he was afraid of walking on busy roads or encountering dangerous wildlife like bears, Huffman said he is prepared for it all and that this journey has allowed him to tap into survival mode and be in tune with his surroundings.

The person more nervous about Huffman being in this environment is Ragon, who told 12 News she was on the phone with Huffman when a bear nearby roared at him, which she said she was scared of for him but Huffman thought was a cool experience. Huffman said he was able to scare off the bear by turning his generator on.

To sustain his journey, Huffman carries lots of water and trail mix, he said despite consuming around 10,000 calories a day, he has lost weight as he walks two to three miles an hour and averages 30-60 a day.

Huffman said that in order to get to Washington, D.C. by Monday, he may have to walk all day and all night for a few days since he’s behind schedule. His goal of Monday not only coincides with Memorial Day but also his desire to set a world record.

While Huffman has been physically walking the journey by himself, Ragon has been with him every step of the way in spirit and through his headphones as she tracks him through his GPS from Michigan.

“So many people reach out to us and say how we’ve impacted their child or impacted their life or helped them make a change or impacted their relationship even because, you know, Jack and I are just very loving towards one another and we’re loving each other through this,” said Ragon.

The funds raised from Huffman’s journey will be presented on July 12 at the Annual Salute Our Warriors Event in Michigan.

To follow Huffman’s journey by GPS, and see if he’ll go through your town next, you can go here . To donate and sponsor a mile, you can go here .

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