MURRELLS INLET, SC (WMBF) – Walking around the country with a small cart and a big message, one man looking to promote mental health and recovery has made his way to the Grand Strand.
Kyndal Ray Edwards is a mental health advocate who began his journey traveling the country on foot years ago, after getting inspired and wanting to turn his life around.
“I got out of prison on November 6th, 2021, and less than two months I put my feet in the Atlantic Ocean and took off,” Edwards said.
Since then, he has traveled thousands of miles walking through different states promoting mental health and drug recovery.
“I’m over seven years drug-free now,” Edwards said. “And over 10,000 miles just to let people know that they matter. It’s a blessing because there’s people struggling.”
Edwards travels with a “You Matter” sign stuck to a cart, hoping it will leave a positive impact on the people he interacts with and those who see him passing by.
“Out here for the ones that are currently struggling to let them know that we all have value and purpose that we all matter so very much that no matter what we are going through, there is always hope,” Edwards said.
Edwards is currently traveling up to Maine from Florida. He spent the 915th day of his long journey walking through Murrells Inlet into Myrtle Beach, where he will be staying for a few days.
“As long as I’m physically and mentally capable, I’m gonna do what I said I was going to do even on the hard days,” Edwards said. “Trust me, there’s days that I want to give up, but we have to keep going because this journey’s bigger than me.”
He said one of the biggest challenges he faces while on the road is loneliness, but said seeing the impact he’s had on others makes it all worth it.
“I’ve met over 10,000 people on the journey that have just pulled over on the side of the road. I’ve had people who have stopped and literally say, ‘I was on my way to take my life until I saw that ‘You Matter’ sign,” Edwards said. “It’s that stuff that keeps me going.”
In addition to promoting positivity and mental health, Edwards is raising money for nonprofit Never Alone Recovery, a nonprofit that helps people battling addiction.
“I see so many people are losing their lives daily to drug overdose and suicide that everything skyrockets, especially like fentanyl being in the street drugs and everything like that,” Edwards said. “So that’s why I picked mental health and recovery.”
Edwards said he plans to hold meet and greets while in Myrtle Beach and encourages people who see him on his journey to honk or stop by so that he can tell them how much they matter.
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