Florida Man Walks Across America for Mental Health Awareness, Recovery, and Healthy Habits
Kyndal Ray in Hood River, OR on April 2nd, 2023. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
By Cole Goodwin
On the Florida Pier on January 1st, 2022.
Thirty year old Kyndal Ray, is walking across America for Mental Health Awareness, Recovery, and Habits 365. Kyndal started his journey on January 1st, 2022, with his feet in the Atlantic Ocean at the Jacksonville Beach Pier in Florida. He is heading northwest to put his feet in the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach, Washington, on Wednesday April 12th, 2023, which is his four-year drug-free date.
CCCNews caught up with Kyndal on April April 2nd, 2023 at the Hood River Best Western to find out more.
The way Kyndal tells it, his story is one of transformation and hope. He is a former addict who is now walking across America to raise awareness for mental health, addiction recovery, and healthy habits.
Walking across America makes a man hungry! CCCNews bought Kyndal dinner as a way of thanking him for raising awareness about mental health and recovery. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
Over dinner, Kyndal speaks openly about his sheltered Southern Baptist upbringing in Orange Park, Florida and his troubled past, including multiple convictions, incarcerations, and nights spent sleeping in and stealing from his local post office.
Kyndal says that while he feels it is important to be honest about his past, those days are now behind him, and his energy is focused on what he can do in the present and in the future to make a better life for himself and those around him.
Kyndal with his cart full of supplies including camping and walking gear for all kinds of weather. Although he says that thanks to the generosity of others he has received many hotel room stays on his journey.
When asked about his motivation to walk across America, Kyndal explains that he read an article in 2013 about a man named Harrison Millanian, who walked from Florida to California just for the experience. This inspired Kyndal to attempt a similar walk in 2015, but at that time it was not possible as he was still struggling with addiction and ended up back in prison.
But this time around, Kyndal knew he was ready for a change.
“I just started changing what I did, how I lived, I did my time and I didn’t let my time do me, you know what I mean? I stopped counting the days and started making the days count,” he says.
Kyndal was given a work release and saved every penny to help finance his dream of Walking Across America for a cause.
However, when he was released from prison in November 2021, Kyndal realized that he had an opportunity to change his life and make a difference.
“At that point I was like: I don’t have a girlfriend. I don’t have kids. I have some money saved up and I’m about to get out of prison wihtout probation. I’m a free man. I’ve been wanting to walk across for years and I’m in the position to do it,” he says.
Kyndal at Fairfield Inn in The Dalles, OR.
He started his journey on January 1st, 2022, and has been walking ever since, sharing his story and raising awareness for mental health and addiction recovery with everyone he meets along the way.
CCCNews asked Kyndal about the clothing he’s wearing. Kyndal says that he wears a shirt with the names of 180 people who have lost their lives to drug overdose and/or suicide to remember them and their struggles. He is also promoting Habits 365, a clothing company that encourages people to practice healthy habits every day of the year. As for the shoes he’s used to walk across America? He’s worn out nearly three pairs of Asics running shoes on his journey.
When asked what recovery means to him, Kyndal, says that recovery means turning his life around and making a positive impact on the world. He believes that everyone has the potential to change their life, no matter how difficult their past may be.
“You matter and we do recover. And, always hold your head high. Because when your chin is down, that's when the crown can fall to the ground. And we are all royalty. So know your worth people,” says Kyndal.
Kyndal especially enjoyed walking through the Columbia River Gorge, saying it was some of the most beautiful and windy walking he’d experienced so far.
Kyndal said that while he’s looking forward to meeting his family, friends, and girlfriend in Long Beach on April 12th, he’s also keeping an eye on his goals for the more distant future.
“I have to just climb to the end and start putting more time into writing a book for the next part of the journey, because it’s not over. This is just the coast-to-coast portion,” says Kyndal.
Kyndal goals include to writing a book about his experience, starting a career as a motivational speaker following the completion of his walk across America.
He hopes that his journey across America will be a “walking testimony” to the power of resilience, hope, and determination to everyone who needs some inspiration in their recovery and development of healthy habits, no matter their struggles or circumstances.
