The Okie Legacy

When this reporter met up with James, he was washing dishes in Floridinos restaurant in downtown Alva, Oklahoma. Hickey says, "Thanks to Sue, Art and Floridinos for hiring me the first day I got into town. Between Floridinos and Holiday Motel, I don't know what I would have done. That's happened all the way across. People have just been great."

Don and Terri Parsons, owner/operator of the Holiday Motel on the East Side of Alva, have also opened their hearts and have put Hickey up for the duration of his stay in NW Oklahoma.

Hickey would like to let you know that he does NOT take donations on the road for the City of Hope Cancer Research Center. Those donations can be made directly to the City of Hope through their web site or by calling their 1-800-544-3541, and asking for Debbie Swanson for more information.

This 3000-mile journey all began, April 30, 1998, in New York City when this former Marine, James L. Hickey (then age 36), mounted a cross-country walk to raise funds for cancer research at the City of Hope National Medical Center & Beckman Research Institute. It is also done in the memory of his father who died of Prostate Cancer in 1995.

Who Is James Hickey --- James L. Hickey (now 39 years) was born in Livingston, New Jersey, near West Orange growing up with four sisters and one brother. Before he began his trek across country, he was managing a restaurant/bar in San Clemente, California and had been in the Marines for 4 years.

What Motivates Hickey --- His motivation stems from the loss of his father to prostate cancer in 1995 and his brother's diagnosis with the disease that same year. It was a helpless kind of feeling and loosing his best friend (his father). Another guy he had read about that walked from Washington to Boston to raise money for hunger motivated Hickey. Hickey wanted to do something similar in the memory of his father for Cancer Research. He also wants to share his experiences along the way and help others with what he has learned on this journey.

Experiencing the kindness of strangers he meets along the way has also contributed to his motivation. Some of those from the list of total strangers are the on-duty firefighters that have fed him and put him up for the night. Hickey says, "Once people hear his story, they open up their homes and hearts. Everyone is hoping we'll someday-beat cancer and they tell him their story. They all want to do what they can to help us reach that goal."

Hickey is keeping a journal of his experiences with the intent of writing a book called "Every Little Breeze." He says his Dad would go around the house singing, "Every Little Breeze." The breeze to his back when he's walking and his Dad looking down with tough love from above and saying, "You're not quitting 'til you are through this stuff."

Who was Hickey's Father --- Hickey's father died of prostate cancer in September 5, 1995. His brother was diagnosed with the same disease 6 months later. On September 4, 1996 his brother survived this disease and is a police officer in New Jersey. James has four sisters, 1 brother, 18 nieces & nephews. Three of his sisters and his brother are back in the Livingston, NJ area living near their mother.

Life is like a box of chocolates! James told me the other afternoon while we were visiting in a local restaurant in downtown Alva, "Towards the end before my father died, I was very close to my father and the last movie we watch together before he died was 'Forest Gump.' I didn't realize that until after I was out there walking one day."

He and his dad were close. The loss of his dad was hard on the whole family. Aving to deal with the loss, and his brother's diagnosis with the same disease 6 months later was another blow. After that, a depression set in and he had a hard time letting people get close. He started pushing people away. Some of the other family members have grown together while others grew further apart. One sister went off on her own 'cause it was hard for her to deal with her father's death.

Hickey says, "I had to do something to snap myself out of this and help people so they didn't go through what I went through." He continued on to mention, "Dad's death was horrible. I can't describe it. I tried to reassure him it was okay." Hickey then recalled a sweet memory of his dad, "My dad gave my mom flowers every Friday for 42 years."

When James mentions his Dad he also adds, "Dad had two masters, in chemical coating and finance. He also had 23 patents in the US on chemical coating. Then he became a financial planner for a company in NYC." James also told me the story of how his Dad received the nickname Mr. Ducktape, "If something went wrong and needed fixing, he would fix it with duck tape. He would also clip coupons. When he passed away, my brother took a roll of duck tape and wrapped around a bunch of coupons and put it in our dad's coffin."

His plans are to work a couple of weeks in Alva as he continues his cross-country walk to Los Angeles, California. Whatever was gong to happen was going to happen." After this cross-country trek, James wants to bicycle across country for his mother and for arthritis. James says, "Hopefully, this will put things back together again. That's what I'm hoping."

Since he began his journey from NYC, he has had 27 television interviews and 6 newspapers covering his journey so far. His quoted as saying, "People along the way have really been supportive."

He has spoken to grammar schools, high schools, colleges, city halls, etc. One girl wrote him a card one time that she made herself. It had a picture a globe on it. Inside it read, "I don't care if you raise $1 or $1 million. You've already touched a lot of people." Hickey told me, "Which really kind of helped. It made a big impact."

He told me about 40 girls in a sorority in Indianola, Iowa that walked with him for 5miles in shifts. They made a sweatshirt for him with "City of Hope" on the front and the girls sorority name and Iowa on the back. Hickey said, "Things that happen are incredible. Especially staying in someone's house after only just meeting them that day."

He has had his share of problems. Some towns he has walked into were very closed minded, but the majority of them have been open with understanding of what he has gone through. Hickey says, "There was one and a half years that I got stuck -- people lost faith when I went through a depression. I lost faith in myself and ruined a lot of what I had done up to that point. Hopefully I can make up for that when I finish."

Hickey says, "One thing I've found out is that people are not so much difference from state to state. There is a difference from people town to town. Some towns are really nice. Some towns are really closed and very suspicious and don't want me there... that kind of thing. People basically the same everywhere." Hickey told me, "Every State I stopped in had people that let me stay the night in their homes. It happens in every state so far. Some places I walked through, people are just nasty. People don't care what you are doing. They ask why you are doing what you're doing -- what's the point."

When he first started he called the City of Hope to see if he could represent them on his walk for cancer. He went into Chicago and stopped at the City of Hope and stayed for two weeks and filled out their little form. Once he got to Chicago they knew he was serious. He had articles from all the way across country from NYC to Chicago by now. After the two week stay in Chicago and working to help cover expenses he left Chicago for Juliet.

Halfway through his journey the depression set in for 1-1/2 years. Doors were slammed in his face. The holidays were coming up and the depression was bad. He had hit rock bottom and it was like a sledgehammer hitting him. He started re-evaluating his priorities and finally snapped out of it. He realizes now that he definitely has to finish his journey and make up for those 1-1/2 years that he screwed up and lost faith in himself and those that supported and were behind him. He says, "One of the things I have to do is restore a lot of faith people had in me along the way." He didn't realize he had gotten that down until he looks back on it now. He says, "When you don't have anybody to talk to and you're alone, it just festers itself."

He was telling me about a girl in Wichita had told him, "I don't care if it takes you 3 to 4 years. You got to finish. If you don't finish, you are going to let a 90-year-old lady beat you out?" He knows in his heart he quit for a period of time, but he says, "Maybe I did and maybe I didn't, but I'm going to finish this no matter what it takes." He said he saw the piece on the 90-year-old lady who had walked across country last year. He said, "That to me was inspiration."

He wants to get done by Christmas. He says, "Either with a support vehicle or without one. If I have to go through the desert alone, then I will. I'm just going to take my chances and see what happens. Once I got that faith back, things started happening again. I really got dormant those 1-1/2 years waiting for things to happen. I never should have done that. I should have kept going."

Hickey stated that there are lots to learn before he finishes. What he really wants to do afterwards is get in the car; go back and get reacquainted with those people along the way that have offered their help. Especially in the first half of the country who probably thinks, "What ever happened to that guy?" He told this reporter that he would just like to stop and see everyone and say, "Hey look! I made it and this is what happened."

Hickey says, "I plan on leaving this area of NW Oklahoma towards the end of next week and get on the road again. If you see a guy with a 50Lb red backpack, try not to hit him."

Good things do happen out there on the road. People see it in the papers and on TV and stop along the side of the road to wish him luck. People honking and waving. He averages about 15 to 25 miles a day. By the time he reaches the Arizona desert he hopefully will get support people along the way. He says, "I'm not looking forward to going through the desert alone, but if I have to go through alone - That's the way it has to be." James Hickey says, "I'm doing this for Dad and in his memory and to help raise money to find a cure for cancer." He also stated that he does NOT take any donations along the way for City of Hope. You send your donations directly to "City of Hope." James says, "The City of Hope cities have really, really been great as far as keeping you going. They've been great.

Here in one the "Heartland" states we all have doubts and/or cynicism at first as to people's motives, but the majority of the people in the Heartland have this openness and willingness to open their hearts and homes. Call it a naïve willingness to believe each stranger's sad story if you like, but could it be something else? Here in the Heartland we do find a balance that satisfies the need to protect ourselves while aiding our fellow beings to the extent we are able. It is a genuine feeling of understanding and compassion to help others least fortunate. Maybe it is because we've been there, done that and understand what they are going through.