Man on 1,200-mile walk to fight cancer

Van Wert independent

A man who calls himself simply Roland and his dog, Wags, were traveling through Van Wert County on Friday as part of Roland’s 1,200-mile walk from Michigan Center, Michigan, to Tampa, Florida.

Roland said he was walking for his wife, Shirley, who died from squamous cell skin cancer, and planned to give money raised on his behalf to Mission of Hope Cancer Fund.

According to Van Wert resident Tracy Sterling, who talked with Roland, the man said he had gotten a lot of help during his wife’s illness and wanted to give something back.

Roland told Sterling he walks about 20 miles a day and stays in a tent most of the time, although every three days or so he stays in a hotel-motel.

Roland said other people had given him the wagon he was pulling on his walk, as well as a smart phone so he could be traced.

“I don’t think you will meet a nicer man or dog,” Sterling said, adding that the man had touched her heart with his story.