Tony Mangan is walking around the world to spread a cancer awareness message and found himself in the Stroud Road and Gloucester area recently.
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The Irishman was offered a bed for the night on Tuesday, October 17 by Stroud Road resident, Peter Madden. Peter said noticed Tony was flying an Irish flag as he passed by his gate.
So he called out, “You’re a long way from home.”
“We talked for twenty minutes then I invited him in for a cuppa,” Peter said.
After a brief time getting to know each other, Peter offered Tony a meal, a hot shower and a bed for the night.
It wasn’t long before the Gloucester Irish community caught wind of a fellow countryman travelling through and both Kalen Danton and Jacqui Windred extended an offer for Tony to stay at their homes. Peter helped Tony out by driving his cart to Gloucester while Tony made the walk from Stroud Road to Gloucester on Wednesday, October 18 to Kalen’s place.
A group went out for dinner and spent the evening getting to know more about the 60-year-old an ultra distance runner.
Saturday, February 27, 2016 Tony began ‘My World Walk’ from a pub in Dublin across Europe, down through Asia before coming to Australia. He began walking across the country from Perth on April 30 toward Sydney. From Sydney he headed north, which as brought him through the Gloucester region.
After spending a second night in Gloucester with Jacqui Windred and her family, he set off through Barrington on Friday, October 20 on his way toward Walcha.
Jacqui said she found Tony brilliant and inspiring.
“Do what you want to do; be what you want to be,” she said.
Tony said he found Gloucester to be a very friendly town as he told the story about getting a hug from a woman named, Gloria in the restaurant where they went for dinner.
His journey is all about raising awareness and with his message being the most important thing.
“Life is precious and early cancer screening saves lives,” he said.
After he finishes his walk in Australia, he will be making his way to New Zealand.
This isn’t his first trek across the globe. In 2014, he completed on a 50 000 kilometre distance run around the world for Aware, a charity for helping to defeat depression.
Anne Keen
Anne has been a journalist with the ACM (Australia Community Media) since 2016. She primarily works at the Gloucester Advocate but also contributes to the Manning River Times.
Anne has been a journalist with the ACM (Australia Community Media) since 2016. She primarily works at the Gloucester Advocate but also contributes to the Manning River Times.
