Military veteran returns to Michigan after cross-country journey

MADISON HEIGHTS — It was the penultimate day of a journey spanning nearly 1,800 miles, walking on foot from Florida to Michigan, but U.S. Army veteran Jack Huffman didn’t seem tired at all.

Instead, the Center Line man was energized by the many people who came out to support him as he raised awareness for the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund.

“Veterans gave us the ability to chase our dreams. This is a chance to pay that back to them,” Huffman said. “They made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can pursue what makes us happy.”

Huffman, also known as Jax, worked as a helicopter mechanic in the Army. He was greeted by honking car horns and waving American flags as he made his way through Madison Heights July 12.

It was the 61st day of a journey that started in May in Sarasota, Fla., winding through Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana before reaching Michigan, averaging 30 miles per day.

Huffman did this while pulling a cart carrying 200 pounds of supplies, sometimes in hot or stormy weather, or through the haze of smoke from wildfires up north.

At night, he would pitch a tent and roll out a sleeping bag, resting in fields, cemeteries, parks and churches. During the day, he would walk against traffic. He did so much walking that he wore the rubber off two pairs of shoes. He said his feet were callused, and his hips purple from the harness he wore.

In quiet moments, Huffman, a practicing fire performer, would also skillfully twirl a staff.

He kept two 500-watt camping batteries charged, rotating them on a solar panel. He also brought a satellite link, a time-lapse camera, and of course food, water, medicine and other supplies.

He said many motorists would stop and graciously offer anything he needed.

“Every community along the way has just been outstanding, just the generosity and kindness that’s coming from everyone across the country,” Huffman said.

His final destination was Rochester Hills the next day, where he would participate in the annual Salute Our Warriors event by the FWSF. He was also transporting Nikki — a dove who would be released with 100 other birds at the event, as a symbol that veterans are heard. It’s a tradition that dates back to World War II, when homing pigeons were used to deliver messages.

“She’s been holding up well,” Huffman said, as Nikki cooed softly in her crate. “Her handler checked her, and said she’s actually gained weight. Here I’m losing weight, and she’s gaining weight. But birds know the way home. If she happened to get out, she’d make it home well before I did.”

There would also be many birds released later that day at Wilkinson Middle School. But first, Huffman met supporters waiting for him near Madison High School, at The Telway hamburger restaurant at 11 Mile and John R roads. From there, he walked to Fire Station No. 2 on John R, where a crowd chanted “USA” and one man yelled, “Way to go, Jax!”

Roslyn Grafstein, the mayor of Madison Heights, presented Huffman with a $1,200 check from community businesses, benefiting the FWSF. She also gave him a key to the city. To top it off, Huffman was hugged by his mother.

“I think this is great — a great cause,” Grafstein said earlier, while walking down 11 Mile Road. “My dad was a veteran. He fought in World War II. Everyone is connected to a veteran in some way, and this brings awareness to all of that. When I found out Jack was going to be in our city, I jumped on the chance to do something.”

This wasn’t the first time Huffman had undertaken such a journey. In 2019, he walked nearly 3,000 miles from California to Georgia, raising funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

His walks inspired his friend Dereck Coe, of Royal Oak, who accompanied him on the last week of his journey, meeting him downriver outside of Saline. Coe recently lost a grandfather who served in the Korean War. They’ve known each other for years, and both have sons who attended school together at Oak Ridge Elementary in Royal Oak.

“Walking is such a great way to process your emotions, anything you got going on,” Coe said, leaning on two walking sticks near the high school. “It’s a chance for reflection, getting yourself back in a balanced state. Jack told me the emotional journey he’s been on, and I was at the same point in my life. Everyone is always trying to find answers.

“I was pushed to my limit yesterday, and I’m right back to walking today,” he added. “It just goes to show that you can get back up and persevere. There’s no end to it. You just keep going.”

As Huffman met supporters at The Telway, another veteran stood outside in a bright red shirt emblazoned with the FWSF logo. He was Chris Cornelius, the organization’s co-founder.

Cornelius said that veterans have a wide range of needs, and 97% of all donations to FWSF go directly to the vets, the rest covering the organization’s operational expenses.

“We recently got a call from a veteran who was using T-shirts as diapers for his kids. And that’s just one scenario,” Cornelius said. “Other needs can be baby food, or someone’s deployed and something happens in the house, like an air conditioner goes out or a hot water heater stops working. We’re an all-volunteer organization, and we’ve kept true to our mission that most of the money we get goes to the veterans. And if we can’t help them directly, we look at other organizations and funds around here that can help.”

Veterans can apply for assistance at fwsf.org. Donations can also be made on the website.

The festivities concluded at Wilkinson Middle School, with the release of dozens of homing pigeons trained by Kenneth Moore of Clinton Township. He said the birds can find their way back to his house anywhere in a 400-mile radius.

He presented Huffman with a certificate from the American Racing Pigeon Union, honoring him and “Nikki Bird” for positive recognition for veterans and homing pigeons.

“What I see on the news every day, about the world we live in, well, it’s kind of chaotic right now. But then I see Jack, he starts walking, and people come out of nowhere for him. And by the time he got two states in, I’d seen a completely different America — an America united way more than we are led to believe,” Moore said.

“There’s all this political stuff out there, but none of that mattered. So many people, so many walks of life, came out to thank him for what he was doing,” Moore said. “I was in his earpiece when he was talking to people, and they’re asking him how he’s doing, if he needs a ride, turning their cars around to feed him, to give him drinks. It was just amazing.”

Lenea Renshaw, the owner of Miss NeNe’s Child Care Center, was at Wilkinson with a gaggle of preschoolers. They fawned over the birds, and treated Huffman like a superhero.

“The most important thing is we just recently had the Fourth of July, so we talked a lot with the kids about America, and how it’s the most special place we’ll ever have in our hearts,” Renshaw said. “And so, as free people — all of us — we want to support the military as much as we can, and of course the essential workers, too. And what this man Jack has done is simply unbelievable.

“My own husband is a Marine veteran from Vietnam, so this hits really close to home for me,” she said. She also noted her soft spot for the birds, having raised pigeons herself. “The kids were just ecstatic seeing the birds.”

Ultimately, she hopes the good vibes of the day will stay with people and serve as a reminder that Americans are like a family that share more in common than not.

“There’s so much trouble in today’s world,” Renshaw said. “If all of us could just have kindness, live in the moment, be gentle and love each other, we would all be so much better off.”