A BARROW man has walked from Land’s End to John O’Groats and finished the second leg of a 1,800 mile walk across the UK – a challenge in memory of his late wife to raise vital funds for the MS Society.
Gary Rushworth, 65, lost his wife Moira in February 2020 following complications related to her multiple sclerosis (MS).
The loving husband arrived in John O’Groats on Friday - 69 days after leaving Land’s End in May. Gary stopped at many locations that hold special memories for him and Moira along the route, including the place they got engaged and the church where they were married.
More than 130,000 people live with MS in the UK. MS damages nerves in your body and makes it harder to do everyday things, like walk, talk, eat and think. It can be relentless, painful and disabling.
Gary, who turned 65 during this leg of his challenge, said: “There are many, many memories that I will keep and cherish, particularly those times when I felt very close to Moira. I will also never forget my 65th Birthday when I walked from The Bridge of Orchy to Kinlochleven via Rannoch Moor, Glencoe and the Devil’s Staircase in a gale force head-wind and driving rain. Such events are, they say, character building. I just wished I had done it forty years ago.
"Though the most emotional times were those when I felt in total isolation with Moira alongside me, particularly the beach at Sinclair’s Bay in Caithness, where we walked barefoot in the sand, hand-in-hand.
"Moira was the inspiration for me taking on this challenge. All the wonderful people from the MS Groups along the route reinforced that inspiration. Many told me what I was doing was inspiring, but their positive approach to life with MS made me ever more determined to achieve my goal."
Gary said he learned the world was full of beautiful people when meeting people from all over the world on his solo walk.
He said: "I met people from all over the world and some from near where I live and I was able to connect with them through our love of walking.
"Personally I learnt to not dwell on setbacks; what’s happened has gone, live in the present and don’t worry about the future.
"There are many, many memories that I will keep and cherish, particularly those times when I felt very close to Moira."
Gary is taking a break from his challenge to regain strength and weight.
He lost 12 pounds in the ten weeks from Land’s End to John o’ Groats.
The third part of the Walk across northern England will start in September and finish on Moira’s 60th birthday in her birthplace of Longtown on September 25.
Follow Gary on social pages: Walking for MS and support MS Research on his Just giving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/walking-for-multiple-sclerosis
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