Steve Vaught is an unlikely celebrity:
“…A morbidly obese man who has captured the heart of America by walking alone across the country on a quest to lose weight and find his soul. Like a real-life Forrest Gump, Vaught’s journey is touching the lives of millions. Last month his website had more than 700,000 hits. Fans travel thousands of miles to walk with him for a little way… Later this month he will receive the ultimate accolade of American fame: an appearance on Oprah”Read the story by Paul Harris in the Guardian. Harris attributes some of our feelings of connection to Vaught’s Buddhist-style attitude. . .
“His website (FatManWalking.com) is full of reflective musings that inspire not only people trying to lose weight but all those seeking to change their life. ‘Now I realise this is an emotional journey, not a physical one,’ he said.”
Steve, who is a 39-year-old father of two, doesn’t look morbidly obese to me (judging by the photo on his home page) but he’s already walked more than 2200 miles and lost more than 100 pounds! He began the journey weighing 410 pounds but says he will not become obsessed by the numbers on any scale:
“I have learned to judge my health not by a scale of weight but by a scale of mental harmony. Once you accept that you are in control of your life and weight, then lose the obsessive tendencies and work on curing the emotional base of the weight problem you will find that the body will take care of itself. . . In short – Cure the mind and the ass will follow!”
Only 550 miles to go until New York City. Great going, Steve!