Arizona dad turns heartbreak into national movement with Million Mile Challenge
Gilbert father turns grief into Million Mile Challenge
A Gilbert father walked his son's ashes to Montana after an alcohol poisoning death. Now he is launching the Million Mile Challenge to honor those lost to substance abuse. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen hears his story.
GILBERT, Ariz. - A Gilbert father went to great lengths for his son's last walk, sharing that journey in hopes of inspiring others to tell their story, one step at a time.
The backstory:
Barry Adkins says it was his son Kevin's high school graduation where he really bonded with him.
"At the high school graduation ceremony he whispered to me 'thanks for not giving up on me dad'," Adkins said.
Kevin was admittedly not a great student, but he was a great kid who got his grades up. After graduation, he moved out.
"I remember walking out onto the front porch, giving him a hug, telling him I love him, and to be careful, and I watched him drive away. He wouldn't live to see another sunrise," Adkins said.
What Happened:
A party got out of hand, and Kevin died of alcohol poisoning.
"Around 4 a.m. calls started coming in to 911. First calls were difficulty breathing, next calls were not breathing. My son died alone in a hospital," Adkins said.
Why you should care:
That is when Adkins started walking as the grief was all-encompassing. One step at a time, he walked Kevin's ashes from Gilbert, Arizona, to Kalispell, Montana, where Kevin wanted to build a ranch one day.
"I wanted to honor my son and I wanted to tell the story, so I told the story 30 to 40 times along the way: schools, churches, treatment facilities, people alongside the road," Adkins said.
Big picture view:
For 20 years, Adkins has told the story of his son and that walk, changing lives each time.
"They're not going to remember the statistics, they're going to remember that story. Because I tell that story in high schools and that's the first thing I tell them: I'm just here to tell you a story. And those kids remember that story years later," Adkins said.
What's next:
Now, he is starting the Million Mile Challenge, inviting others to go on their own walk, run, or hike in honor of someone lost to substance abuse.
"Everybody's got a story and that's the genesis behind a Million Mile Challenge. Everyone's got a story and I think those stories need to," Adkins said.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Barry Adkins.