How an Australian man’s dying fantasy came true on the other side of the world

PEOPLE all over the world have been inspired by this Australian man’s dying fantasy. Finally his dream has come true.

An Australian mans boots are now doing what he never got to — walk the Apallachian Trail. Picture: @noodles_apothecary / Instagram

WHEN Queensland man Paul Evans died aged 53, his wife M’Lynn knew no one could fill his shoes. But then an idea occurred to her.

Paul was raised in a scouting family, and he loved hiking and the outdoors. However, heart disease plagued his family, and after years living a sedentary lifestyle and putting off that next big hike, health complications led to his early passing.

In the months leading up to his death, M’Lynn said Paul began living a fantasy: He devoted all his waking time to preparing for one final hike — the 3,500km Appalachian trail in the United States’ east.

“It was the last thing he was focused on,” she said.

“These were our nightly conversations — cuddling in bed talking about everything he’d heard that day about people hiking the ‘Appy trail’. He prepared for it and he polished those damn hiking boots every day.”

Paul and M’Lynn before he passed away.

M’Lynn said she knew Paul’s unrealistic planning signalled he was resigned to his death — “like an elephant walking towards his graveyard” — but she couldn’t bear to acknowledge it.

Then, on a chilly June morning at their Ipswitch home last year, Paul got up feeling weak and told M’Lynn he would go to the doctor.

But he only made it as far as the driveway before collapsing. Hours later in hospital during an induced coma, doctors found an internal bleed that would require surgery Paul was not strong enough to endure.

With no option other than turning off the respirator, M’Lynn held her husband’s hand as he slipped away.

After his death, M’Lynn stopped sleeping properly. She painstakingly went through Paul’s belongings and piece by piece donated all the camping equipment he had gathered for the impossible Appalachian trip.

Paul and M’Lynn used to love hiking in the great outdoors.

She found books and radio programs about the outdoors he had become obsessed over, dehydrated food, first aid kits and homemade shampoo sachets.

When she had nothing but his boots left, she stared at them with longing, unable to let go.

“I was literally staring at the boots thinking ‘I would love to see a photo of those out on the trail’,” she said.

As soon as the thought hit her, M’Lynn contacted one of the outdoors podcasts Paul listened to, The Dirtbag Diaries, and made a plea for hikers to walk the Appalachian trail in Paul’s boots.

No sooner than the call was broadcast, more than 400 volunteer hikers rose to the challenge.

This picture of Paul’s boots was posted with the caption: “My seven year old daughter Isabel, who normally gives me a hard time about going on hikes, was looking forward to going out on the trail, knowing she was helping M’Lynn fulfil Paul’s dream. Both she and her brother Alex realised how lucky they are — and that they should never leave their dreams for later.” — Juan Garcia (@goruckgarcia)

Over the course of the past year, more than a dozen hikers joined forces to pass Paul’s boots along the full length of the Appalachian trail.

“I said send me the photos and I’m a happy camper. I would get to at least see part of Paul’s dream fulfilled,” M’Lynn said.

The hikers — dubbed “Paul’s protectors” — documented the journey on social media using the hashtag #paulwalkson, and the project recently became the subject of a short documentary.

For one of the younger hikers named Grace White, Paul’s story motivated her to harness the precious years she has left with her 70-year-old father.

“It definitely gave us a bigger purpose than just a walk in the woods,” Grace said.

“It motivated both of us to stick with our plans and hike the 80 miles we promised Paul we would, and with [his boots] tied to your backpack you can kind of hear him slapping on your back keeping you motivated.”

Grace and her father were inspired to walk the trail with Paul’s boots together. Picture: @ducttapethenbeer / Instagram

All the while, M’Lynn followed her husband’s boots via images shared online.

“Some people just see boots, but I see my husband in them,” she said.

“And now there are more than 500,000 people who know my husband’s name — that completely blows me away.”

With the trail completed, M’Lynn said the boots have taken on a life of their own, and in Paul’s memory, they have become a call to healthy living for everyone.

“I would love to see something like this happen in Australia — in Paul’s home,” M’Lynn said.

In Australia, heart disease like that which killed Paul claims one life every 12 minutes. It is a major cause of death for Australians, linked with physical inactivity, poor diet, and high blood pressure.

Another one of Paul’s hikers was New York office worker Chrissie Monaghan. Picture: @ducttapethenbeer / Instagram

M’Lynn’s health is also declining, and she admits she has regrets about the lifestyle choices she and Paul made.

“I’m in the position I’m in now because at some point, Paul and I decided life was going to be easier for us if we just didn’t take any risks,” she said.

“You need to be up and moving — you really do. It’s easy to end up spending half your day at your computer, and that’s wrong.”

“I have literally pushed my diabetes to my limit because I’ve developed these really crap habits.”

While she may not be able to return to the Girraween National Park or Lamington National Park trails she and Paul once enjoyed together, the possibility of Paul’s boots inspiring other Australians gives M’Lynn hope.

“I’d love to see these boots be fodder for changing that lifestyle: from sedentary to moving.”

“Paul and I waited way too long to go back outside.”

#Paulwalkson Picture: @isaiahjboyle / Instagram