After hiking and backpacking in the N. Carolina mountains for 25 years, Dan Healy at 73 years old decided to tackle the 2189 mile Appalachian Trail “thru Hike.’ He assembled his equipment, saved his money and asked his wife Carmen to “buy in” to his dream. He needed her support to keep him resupplied and take care of all the business at home in Ft. Lauderdale.

She agreed and he took his first step at the top of Springer Mountain in Georgia in April of 2018. You will join Dan on his adventure as he hikes through 14 states. You’ll feel his triumphs, failures, disappointments, and personal losses. Read about the places he saw and the people he met along the way. See the connections he made with the trail, the mountains, the forest, and the beauty of nature itself.

Dan left that April morning with three goals. 1. To complete the hike within the 1-year period the Appalachian Trail conservancy allows. 2. To finish the hike and keep a promise he made to his mother to never give up. And 3. Because he lost a son and a sister to cancer, he committed to raise money to find a cure through the American Cancer Society.

          Enjoy your hike with Dan Healy.