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WEST JORDAN -- An Iraq war veteran who's been walking across the country for six months found his way to West Jordan Saturday.
Troy Yocum started his Hike for Heroes journey when he returned from war to raise money for veterans and their families.
We're not running across America, which affords the ability for regular people to come on board and walk with us all day if they want.
–Troy Yocum
"What I'm very proud of with this hike is that it's very much a ‘Forrest Gump' type of movement," he says. "We're not running across America, which affords the ability for regular people to come on board and walk with us all day if they want."
Yocum wants others to join him on his long walk -- nearly 7,000 miles -- across the country.
"To me, someone needs to step up and do something. What could little old me do? To help thousands of other people and to spread awareness across America," he says.
Yocum has friends and knows of many others who have suffered financially after returning home from the war zones -- some have even contemplated suicide. He's trying to help them out. He set a goal of $5 million dollars.
So far, he's raised $80,000.
"For the last two weeks, we've been walking through Utah," he says. "We left Grand Junction, came through Moab, Blanding, Hanksville, Torrey -- down to boulder."
Along the way, he carries a petition, calling for a national Day of Recognition for America's deployed soldiers. So far, 315 mayors have signed it.
From Utah, Yocum is heading west, where he'll continue to hand out the money he's raised so far to military families who need help.
Yocum started his journey last April. He plans to finish his walk in California next month.
For more information on how you can help, e-mail troy@followtroy.com.
E-mail: kmccord@ksl.com
