Dave Allgood and Mario Landeros
Mario Landeros woke up one day and decided to walk across America. He went to the beach just outside Los Angeles, soaked it in...took one last look and then turned 180-degrees and just started walking east.
The date is July 13th, 2012, Two months and a thousand miles removed from that day... I caught up with this 38 year-old, baby faced man in a Starbucks here in Grand Junction, Colorado. It was a chance encounter. I saw his bicycle cart outside the coffee shop. On it...a sign that read... 'Walking Across America for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.'
Of course my first question was..."Why?" and for 20 minutes...Mario told me a little bit about his life, this journey and his wandering nature...and living solely on the good nature of strangers.
Amazingly upbeat, optimistic and cheerful ...not bad for a guy who wasn't sure where he was going to sleep that night. extremely tan and ruffled hair...he quietly spoke ...pretty much non-stop about his journey...and journey's in general.
People here on the Western Slope...all in one day....bought Mario dinner, gave him a place to stay and the Rotary Club even bought him a NEW pair of shoes! His first pair since leaving Los Angeles! Mario seemed humbled and grateful for the gesture...plus...his feet are now ...really happy!
After sitting and talking with mario for about 45 minutes...the sense I got was that this young man IS walking for a cause...but ...that's not the only reason...Mario might just have a little wanderlust in his soul.
Here his Mario Landeros' Allgood News.
If you would like to follow Mario's Journey or Donate to his cause ...check him out on Facebook:
OperationCheer
July 2012
(Listen to this Allgood News by Clicking the ‘play” button on the Player on top)