Tom age 45 and a former athlete and ultramarathoner, had finally decided to fulfill his decades-long dream of crossing America on foot. But what he thought would be a solitary 3,300-mile walk soon became a journey of self-discovery as a steady stream of strangers offered Tom help and compassion and Tom, who had never felt able to truly trust others and kept people at arms-length began to let down his guard.

He discovered that the act of accepting offerings from these “roadside saints” was what helped him finally begin to feel comfortable in his own skin; he discovered kindness can’t be stopped.

Tom is a writer and has worked as a teacher, corporate trainer, running store operator, roofer, Army soldier, stevedore, winery cellar worker, forklift operator, tour guide, warehouse manager, short-order cook, race announcer, visual artist, photographer, animal caregiver, recreation leader, anthropologist, copy editor, ice cream scooper, voice-over talent, bartender, life coach, and a second-hand junk slinger. In 2018 he walked across the United States.