'Fat Man Walking' About To Complete Journey

[MotherOfGizmo]

POSTED: 6:30 am PDT May 8, 2006


LEDGEWOOD, N.J. -- The self-proclaimed "Fat Man Walking" has almost reached his destination, a long way from his San Diego home.

Steve Vaught began walking to New York last year in a bid to tackle his weight problem. Vaught had ballooned up to 410 pounds and decided a cross-country walk would be the way to work off the fat.

Vaught said he's due to arrive Tuesday in Manhattan, more than 100 pounds lighter and 2,500 miles from his home.

http://www.davesdaily.com/out.php?id...%2Fdetail.html

www.thefatmanwalking.com

[dotsamantha]

So what happens when he isn't walking anymore? WIll his new "habits" stay with him? I hope so.

[Lisa M]

Wow! Can't wait to see what the guy looks like!

[Miss Phode]

You know, I read an article that his marriage is falling apart. That sort of made me sad. It seemed like his wife was supportive in the beginning. I guess I don't know the whole story either. Anyhow, how awsome of him to complete such a journey.

[Luna Rossa]

In his words:

"I will probably see my wife and kids only once or twice during this time. I am not in the best condition financially to go six months without income and have resigned myself to the fact that I will lose my car and property. Those things however, pale in significance when reckoned with the consequences of doing nothing."

It's great that the guy has done something to improve his health and he's gained alot of attention but in the end that doesn't pay the bills or hold his family together. No doubt the wife isn't as understanding as she was if the repo men are coming to take everything out from under her feet while her husband continues his trek. Will he be standing in a welfare line next week to eat?

Of course it could all be a sad story designed to get people to send in donations and buy his tshirts! Yes, I'm cynical lol.

[MotherOfGizmo]

Yes Luna, those were his words in the beginning. BUT, he ended up getting money for a documentary..they followed him on his journey and filmed it. He also got a book deal! He also ended up with a long list of sponsors and supporters (you can see it on his website) He had a vechile and a van donated! And they were making money off of the sale of his t-shrits! I believe that his wife even quit her job to handle all his PR stuff because it became overwhelming and they had the money now for her to be able to do that!

He had camping equipment and shoes donated as well as doctor care and all sorts of protein bars and things like that. In the end he ended up making quite a good haul of merchandise and money so I don't think that's the problem.

He had a guestbook where there were a lot of trolls that were spreading rumors about his wife leaving him too, so that might be where that info came from. I pretty much kept up with his journal (for some reason they've recently removed it from the site though, maybe because of the book deal?) and there was never any mention of her leaving or anything like that. But, who knows?

[MotherOfGizmo]

OH, and he met up with his wife and kids several times along the way! They even came and visited with, I forget which state is was in but, they all spent the holiday at a member of his families house!