7 years walking around the world to overcome the fear of death

In the early 2000s, Tom Turcich was just another average guy. He lived a quiet life in Haddon Township, a suburb of 15,000 in New Jersey. He came from a good family, did well in school, and was a good kid, but a bit of a gullible, gullible person. He was basically an optimist.

During his childhood, the only thing Tom feared was death. As a child, he tried to simulate death to the point of losing all feeling in his body, only to recognize death when it actually came. The fear haunted him but never became a reality.

Then one day, Tom's life changed abruptly. Ann Marie, one of his best friends at school, died in a jet ski accident when she was only 16. Tom's fear of death rose to a new level, becoming more real than ever.

"I thought if Ann Marie could die - she was better educated than me, a better person than me - surely I could die at any time," he recalled.

The fear of death haunted him constantly, becoming so suffocating that Tom could no longer continue living normally. Finally, he decided to face it.

One day at school, the whole class watched a famous movie.Dead Poets Society(Dead Writers' Society), in which a literature professor, played by Robin Williams, tells his students: "carpe diem" (Seize the moment). This saying touched Tom's heart and became his motto in life in his journey to face the fear of death. From that moment on, he tried to take advantage of every opportunity and challenge that came his way.

At school, he won medals on the swim team, performed solo in school plays, and even mustered up the courage to share his first kiss with a classmate named Brittney. The death of his best friend motivated him to stop wasting time thinking about death. Setting and completing new challenges became second nature to Tom, and he grew more confident. The sky was the limit, and his biggest challenge was still ahead.

“I want to be adventurous to feel uncomfortable and you have to grow in that,” he said.

As an adult, Tom learned about the story of Steve Newman, an American who spent four years walking around the world. He decided to do the same - the ultimate challenge to learn about himself and face his fears. In his senior year of high school, he announced his plan to his family and friends. His mother couldn't believe it and thought it was just a teenage phase.

"I thought he was so naive, did he really think he was going to walk around the world?" she said, calling her son's idea crazy and a passing impulse.

But her son was determined. Tom spent several years working to save up for the trip. After graduating from university, he worked a series of jobs before deciding it was time to make his dream come true in April 2015. The 27-year-old set out from his small town, walking to Argentina with just a makeshift baby stroller and supplies.

A friend helped him modify a stroller for the trip to accommodate a tent, sleeping bag, laptop, camera, rechargeable batteries, some food, and clothes. While helping him prepare, the friend also organized a press conference to promote the trip, inviting several local newspapers to interview him.

A local businessman named Bob Mehmet read the article and was so impressed that he decided to sponsor his journey. With enough money to last him for the next few years, Tom had no reason to delay any longer. He began the arduous journey to Argentina alone. When he reached Texas, he found a dog, named Savannah, and took her with him. The dog comforted him and made him feel safer.

Tom has now traveled to 38 countries, becoming the 10th person to walk around the world. Savannah has accomplished an even greater feat, becoming the first dog to walk around the world. The seven-year journey has exposed him to human kindness in a way he never knew in the safe world of New Jersey. Along the way, he has met kind people who have offered help, shelter, and inspiring conversations.

But perhaps the most meaningful experience was the first two years, when he was completely alone. Being alone for so long gave him countless opportunities to reflect on his life values ​​and mission.

“About a year and a half later, while in southern Peru, I felt the garden in my mind was clean, with no more pain, regret, or anything to gnaw at,” Tom recalls.

The feeling grew stronger and stronger until he had an epiphany. While in the Atacama Desert, Tom realized that lying under the stars, he had reached the end of himself and all doubts disappeared. Tom knew he had truly found peace.

On the last leg of his journey, Tom met a girl named Bonnie in Washington. They quickly became close because Bonnie was also on a journey to find herself. Their paths crossed and they never parted - Bonnie and Tom have been together ever since.

Finally, after 45,000 km, Tom returned to New Jersey at the age of 32 with Savannah and Bonnie. About 500 people welcomed him home. It took Tom 7 years to overcome his fear of death, but he finally did. From a shy boy who used to hide under the blanket to experience the feeling of death, he now stood before hundreds of people, recounting his journey walking around the world.