Day 11 Walk 4 Life

On day 11 things started to get a little tough. I had no one to help me at all. I went from wanting road side assistance, to just wanting someone to move my gear from point A, to point B that's it. I don't like not having anyone at all to help seeing it is hard to film footage and carry material to put out there and just watch my back. But I threw all that out the window. I just wanted the gear to be moved. I have a lot of gear because I want to be as effective as I possibly can. Anyway, one thing is for sure, there was no turning back no matter what.

I owe many thanks to Sonia Keiner Flynn who had already went far beyond the call of duty. This woman is amazing. She is an activist who does not believe in the death penalty, but she is not a part of any abolition organization. She just believes in human rights. She values human life and has compassion that is rare. She had done so much for me and for this movement already, but she still gave more.

Sonia drove deep into Virginia where I was from Maryland after working all day at the University of Maryland to help me move my gear onto the next spot. This is the kind of sacrifice and dedication I am talking about. This type of dedication and sacrifice is what is needed to win this war we are fighting. Saying thank you just isn't enough for what Sonia has donated to this walk. May God bless her. We need more people like her for sure.

After booking me a hotel room she dropped me off on the road and I proceeded to walk as she drove back to Maryland to go to work. To top it off Sonia stayed on the phone trying to get me help for the following day which she found.

I left the hotel just after sun up leaving all my gear at the hotel which was picked up by Bob Covert an amazing professor from the university of Virginia. Bob picked up my stuff like clock work. Keep in mind neither Sonia or I have ever met this man in person. She knew of him because his reputation proceeded him and I found out just why.

As I walked Bob called me on my cell phone and told me he might stop by on the highway I was walking just to say hello. As I was walking a car pulled over. Thinking it was the professor I walked up to the car. All I knew was that Bob had a beard. When I walked up to the car this brother sure enough had a beard but not a thick one or anything but yea I thought it was Bob, but it wasn't. This guy was actually the husband of Annette Blankenship a supporter I had been speaking with via e-mails. He worked in the area and decided to stop by and say hello and drop me off some water and a bottle of juice. He was cool as hell. As he took my picture another car pulled up behind him. Annette's husband bid his goodbye's and walked back to meet Bob Colvert. Now Bob surely had a beard that reached near to his chest, nicest guy for real. He had all my gear and told me he was happy to meet me. We talked for a few then he took off for work assuring me he would pick me up after he got out of work. I then began walking into the mountains of Virginia. Let me tell, thank God Annette's husband brought me that water and juice because up in them mountains there was nothing but tree's and long stretches of highway.

I will never forget this day because the highway made for tough walking. At times the shoulder I was walking on was only about 10 inches wide. Big trucks screaming by on my left, and like a three story drop to my right; talk about walking with faith. These trucks were so close the wind they created nearly took me off my feet.

After hours of walking like clock work Bob pulled up and picked me up. As I said we had never met yet he offered me a place to stay for the night which was greatly appreciated. This is the kind of support I prayed for from the beginning. I did not want to waste money on hotels though I knew some nights it could not be avoided.

Professor Bob Covert lived up on top of a mountain. The view was breath taking I couldn't believe it. He lived in a small house that sits on like 60 acres of land. He not only let me spend the night, he cooked me an amazing meal. Cornish game hen with all the fixings. We sat up for hours just talking on an array of topics. I learned a lot from this man who told me he would love to have me come back to speak at the university of Virginia one day. He also told me if ever in the area I have a place to stay, simply an amazing human being.

The next morning Bob drove me and my gear some 30 miles ahead from where he had picked me up where I booked a hotel and dropped my stuff off. He then drove me back and dropped me off for my day of walking.

The Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia.

On this 11th Day I walked for Anthony Nealy - In memoriam - executed by TX in 2007