Tennessee man walking 1,000 miles for kid battling cancer

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – If you were driving down Riverside Drive, you may have noticed a man walking down the street with camping gear.

It isn’t unusual to want to give back during the holidays.

“Money comes and goes, but sacrifice and love is something that’s going to last forever,” Seth Mayer said.

What this is man is doing is unusual and its picking up a lot of attention.

Mayer put on his walking shoes and is Miami, Florida — on foot.

“I’ve never been to Florida. I’ve never seen the Florida beach so I get to walk along the beach for quite some time,” Mayer said.

The 39-year-old Army vet is on journey, traveling from his hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee raising money for his friend’s 11-year-old son, Daniel Burgess, who’s battling brain and spine cancer.

“Most of the time I sleep behind churches. I have a tent and a sleeping mat that keeps me off the cold ground,” Mayer said.

He covers about 15 miles a day, stopping to chat or smile at anyone he sees.

“I listen to the Christian radio a lot. Christian radio is positive and inspiring and just kind of keeps a smile on my face,” he said.

The walk is helping Seth as well. his time in the Army left him battling post traumatic stress disorder.

It’s therapy Seth says he’s happy to get through along with support from his family.

“They all feel like this is what God wanted me to do and so they pushed me to do it and they’re behind me 100%,” Mayer said.

So with more than 500 miles left to get to his destination, the father of three says he isn’t giving up, hoping to raise more money step by step.

“I get to experience what giving and sacrificing during the holiday season is really about,” Mayer said.

So far, Seth has raised more than a $1,000. All of the money is going to Daniel’s family. Seth is headed to Cochran. He plans to get to Miami by the end of January.