The 'before' picture, while training for the walk, August 96. Soon, I would fly to Miami and start walking from Florida to Seattle crossing Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Oregon. Hard rock would sponsor many press conferences throughout the trip.
My son, Alex, would join me a few times over the next two years. This was his first attempt at walking with me. It would be his last.
Jennifer and Alex, clowning around. Jennifer had AIDS. The Disney people sponsored a trip for a few kids, their families and medical staff. Hard Rock offered their facilities for a press conference. The story of Alex and Jennifer is well worth the read. I've included the newsletter on the next few images. Hope you can zoom in to read.
Jennifer and Alex at the Hard Rock Cafe.
Jennifer's Story, page 1 of 3.
Jennifer's story, page 2 of 3.
Jennifer's Story, page 3 of 3.
The Story of the Bears. At the airport in Phoenix (where I lived at the time) when flying to Miami to start the walk, a number of the kids I had met, with AIDS, gave me their stuffed animals to keep me safe. I pinned them, along with pictures of the kids, to the animals and wore them every day for the next two years, rain or shine. I would be given many more over the next couple years. When it rained, they got a little heavy, but nothing compared to the burdens the kids carried.
For the first 700 miles, there was no place to stay at nights. Often, people offered their homes or hotels would hear about the walk on the media and offer a room. Rainbow RV called up one day, just about when I had run out of money, and said they would donate a new RV for my use during the walk, as long as I paid all expenses. What a blessing, one of many miracles to come.
Christmas on the road ... think I was in in Georgia? Notice the lack of winter attire.
Home sweet home for two years. My computer was invaluable for doing all the correspondence and press releases that needed to be done.
My father, Andre' Rochon flew out from Montreal, volunteering to drive the RV for a while. (See comment below describing the process without a driver). Dad was with me for 6 weeks. This was more time than we had spent together over our entire lives. We grew quite close. How could you NOT in a motorhome for 6 weeks! It was a great blessing. We had a terrific time together.
One of many classroom presentations ... this one was in Ponchontoula, Louisiana. I would talk to anyone about the issues of Pediatric AIDS and kids we usually far more interested (and less prejudice) than adults.
I sent my mother this picture. This was the first time she actually said, "You're not kidding, you really ARE going to walk across America, aren't you? Yes mom. This was a landmark for me ... 1000 miles. I rarely ever walked further than the refrigerator from the couch. What the hell was I doing? I had never felt so alive.
My uncle Pierre (dad's little brother) flew down from Montreal, to replace dad. He was having such a good time, Pierre had to pull him out of the drivers seat. I hated to see him go. It was a very sad day when we drove him to the airport.
Uncle Pierre at the helm. What was supposed to be a 3-4 week trip lasted for many months together. Uncle 'Snake' as I had come to call him, helped me get through Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. We had many, many good times together. I am very garteful for his help and his friendship.
Uncle 'Snake' is a professional photographer. This worked out great as while I was out walking each day, he would have the day to shoot images of the United States, one mile, one step, at a time.
It was cold ... bone chilling cold, in Texas. The only place I had ice and snow, was Florida - go figure. Weather wise; torrential rain and hail in Louisiana, sweltering humidity in Florida, relentless broiling heat in Arizona and New Mexico, tornadoes in Texas, and El Nino floods in California.
Most of the time - there was no mone, especially for expensive boots. Duct tape came in handy. It kept the soles on, but failed to keep the water out - usually had about 1' of water sloshing around in my boots all day. Foot rot was a constant problem - at least it softened the callouses.
Walking took about 6-7 hours a day. I was on the phone, on average, 3-4 hours a day - lining up media, public relations, speaking engagements, etc. Cell phones were not practical then.
Writing a monthly newsletter that I would mail out to supporters that donated to the walk expenses and the evarious charities I represented.
One of hundreds of TV, radio and news-print media. The novelty of the walk got the attention and opportunity to focus the media onto the issues of Pediatric AIDS. We reached well over 100 million people.
You'll notice there are more and more bears as the walk progresses. They kept me safe as well, when walkinng throught dangerous gang-infested communities - they just thought I was insane. They were right, but I was safe.
Interviews were a welcome break from the monotony of walking each day, especiallly when the weather was crappy and my attitude was low - thinking I wasn't doing any good and wasting my time. The media helped inspire me. Being in my own head too long is not good for Louie. I'm glad that I didn't quit.
Even Uncle Snake got in on the media attention.
These guys generally all did the same thing, shooting my boots as I walked. Some were pretty creative, and entertaining.
I grabbed her microphone for a change, just trying to lighten things up a bit.
This guy was getting on my nerves.
Oooohhh, how original ... let's shoot my boots as I walk by.
Again, a nice 20 minute diversion on the side of the road helps break up the day, and every interview goes out to tens of thousands of people with a simple story - it makes me feel like I'm doing something important - I was.
Before the press conference in San Antonio. Depression and Anxiety had been eating me alive for a couple months, thinking I wasn't doing any good out there, for all this pain. Many doubts and insecurities and even less faith. Just stubborn steps.
Whatever ... On my way to the Press Conference in San Antonio, TX. I was pretty depressed.
A group of the kids with AIDS from the press conference met me to walk the last few block to Hard Rock Cafe. This IMMEDIATELY raised my spirits! Yeah God!
Press Conference - San Antonio Hard Rock Cafe. Great turnout of people from various AIDS support organizations as well as children and families affected with HIV/AIDS that I'd invited. I knew I was makinig a difference.
Press Conference, San Antonio. They gave me fresh socks and collected groceries. I had virtually no food or gas when I rolled in to San Antonio. The community reached out and filled me up in many ways.
Filling my soul.
Giving it all I've got left, for the media.
Rear Elevation.
It was HOT! 2000 down ... 3000 to go. Walk in the Park!
Alex came back to spend some time with me in New Mexico and Arizona. I loved this time with him. I will never forget these times with him.
Gge spent most of his time catching bugs. I miss that age, when I used to catch (and eat) bugs.
This is what it's all about.
At the ripe old age of 12, Alex continues to hone his skills of female persuasion. He is still perfecting his prowess.
Texas ... cold ... tornadoes hit down in 10 areas within 50 miles of here. Kind of spooky being out there with no where to go, except the ditch. It was also very exciting!
As it was illegal to walk on freeways, I'd seek out secondary roads. This is one back road adjacent to I-10 in Arizona ... HOT and lots of rattle snakes. I HATE snakes!!!
Uncle Snake and I quit smoking at the city limit of Roswell, NM., and commemorated the committment with a picture. A couple months later, we were smoking, again.
I loved New Mexico, endless road, no people and lots of sun. Lots and Lots of sun.
Gettin' There.
My little brother, Charles, came out to help me through Texas. He didn't like walking through Texas much - not much to look at. The nights, with tornadoes, was pretty cool though. We had a good time.
Uncle Snake and i ... Arizona! Within 5 miles of here, a group of rednecks drove up in the pickup truck, cussing and screaming, with one paraticularly nasty specimen getting right in my face and spitting into my mouth. Damn - those morons enrage me. There was a lot of hate, ignorance and prejudice when you put a sign on your back that has the words AIDS on it. Many people think your gay and there are a lot of people that hate gays!
Alex enjoying some 'air-time' at an Arizona radio station, promoting an upcoming fundraiser and press conference in Phoenix.
Press Conference - Phoenix, AZ.
It was not uncommon to return back to the RV to find stuffed animals on the windshield with little notes of support. Eventually, there were too many animals to wear on my backpack. I'd wear the ones from the kids I knew.
New friends that supported me across the Golden Gate Bridge.
Loved walking 1500 miles of Pacific coast.
My walking stick. I filled the inside with lead to help keep my upper body strong. The stick weighs about 15 lbs.
Nice hair huh? Within the next few weeks, I would relapse after many years of sobriety, literally crawling the last 600 miles up the coast.
One last time with Alex on the road.
The Black Hole. Had to return the RV as I could not afford the gas to insurance any longer. I traded in my day walking pack (15 -20 lbs) for a pack that would carry everything I needed to live on the road (60 lbs). In addition, I had relapsed into my alcohol addiction, walking through the day with my sign on the pack, removing it from shame and guilt as I would drink myself into oblivion at night. Walk then drunk, walk then drunk - for the next few months as I crawled that last few hundred miles to Seattle. In addition to this misery, I had two ruptured disks and most nights, could not take the pack off my back as it supported my spine. Life was not good these days, but I was committed to finishing what I had started, even if it killed me, and that sounded pretty good to me at the time.
Barely standing and hiding my drinking with shame, I walked those last few miles into Seattle.
Seattle Times, 10/98. In two years, we reached 90 million people with Pediatric AIDS awareness, hundreds of radio, TV and magazine articles. We helped a few kids.
I'd seen this image thousands of times in my head. I'd sworn that I would walk up to the base of the space needle and touch it with my son --- which we did.
The 60 lb pack, end of the road, waiting impatiently for the press conference. There were a lot of people there, friends and family, and media as well as the mayor of Seattle that awarded me a Louie Rochon day. Wow. And all I could think about was how soon I could break away from everyone so I could drink. And within a cocuuple hours, I was hunched over a bar stool, drunk.
The last few steps. Alex was pretty embarrased, but I had dreamed of this moment, with him, for a very long time, and this is the way it was going down.
Almost to the finish.
The last of ten million steps.
The last press conference.
I was done - I was really, really done and ready for this to be over. Had no clue what I was going to do, but this chapter needed to be closed. My alcoholism would take me down further before I would get back up.
Happy kid.
Even Alex was getting tired of the media.
Ho Hum, just give me the cotton candy.
Within an hour, I'd be face down drunk. Alcoholism, Manic Depression and two ruptured discs would send me into a black hole that would take many years to overcome. Within a few months, I had a fusion surgery to repair the discs. That healed within 6 months. The alcohol addiction and depression would be with me for the rest of my life.
What a difference two years, 5000 miles and a relapse can make. Guess which one is the before?
It was over. This walk had been my life for 3 years and it was over, in what seemed like a flash. Now what? This moment was one of the darkest, most painful times of my life. It would be many years before I would break free of some of these demons. But I will NEVER regret, for one second, the grand adventure of this walk. I hope to repeat this walk again some day. Why not?
