Jimmy Wayne photo courtesy of the The Valory Music Co.
During his teens, Jimmy Wayne bounced around the North Carolina foster-home system and lived for a time as a homeless person. It was only when an elderly married couple took him in for six years that he found some stability and was able to set himself on a path toward his current stardom.
He’s not forgotten what it was like living without a home, and he hopes to make the rest of the nation aware beginning New Year’s Day when he begins a “Meet Me Halfway” journey. He plans to walk from Nashville to Phoenix, sleeping outdoors, navigating the harsh temperatures of winter and providing regular online updates that will call attention to the tragedy of teen homelessness.
“I’ve had a lot of friends who… I lived in group homes with that ended up dead,” Jimmy said during a press conference at Monroe Harding, a Music City facility for at-risk kids. “When I worked in prison as an officer, I had a lot of friends come in as convicts. I had a foster brother who I spent half of my life with come in as a convict. It was a very hard experience seein’ that stuff.”
“There’s statistically 581,000 foster kids in America,” he added. “Half of ‘em become homeless. That’s sad.”
It’s 1,441 miles from Nashville’s Monroe Harding to Phoenix’s HomeBase Youth Services, the facility Jimmy has targeted as his finish line. He aspires to walk 25 miles per day, which would make it a 58-day trek. That would put him in Arizona on Feb. 27.
Along the way, he plans to update America on his journey through Twitter and through interviews with the media, including morning radio shows. How he’ll keep his cell phone and GPS powered while walking is just one of numerous issues he’ll face. Where to sleep, how to take a shower — many of the basics are up in the air. And that’s how he believes his trip should be.
“I think your survival instinct kicks in,” he said. “You don’t become homeless with a survival kit. You just figure it out. That’s what I did. I remember walking in convenience stores and askin’ the clerk if I can have some food. And I’ll never forget the ones that gave me food and the ones that ran me off. And I’ll be tweeting those experiences. I hope to experience these things so people can really live vicariously through me and I can share the experience of that story with them and those let-downs, if you will, the people that push you down and tell you to leave.”
Jimmy started hiking earlier this year, and that exercise will pay off as he takes on the physical challenge of walking the equivalent of a marathon every day for two months or more. Once he decided to take this journey a month ago, he began hiking 10-15 miles daily, building up his stamina for the road ahead.
“Some of the kids that become homeless don’t have an opportunity to condition for that,” he shrugged.
Jimmy’s open to fans and supporters joining along the way. But he warns that it’s not something to do if you just want to meet the guy who sings “Do You Believe Me Now” and “Sara Smile.”
“I’m walking,” he explained. “I’m not stopping. So if you’re not into walkin’, you’ll be left.”
For additional information on “Meet Me Halfway” and Wayne, please visit www.jimmywayne.com. To learn more about HomeBase or make a donation to this organization, please visit www.hbys.org. For more information on Monroe Harding or make a donation to this organization, please visit www.monroeharding.org.
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What a Guy. You are such an inspiration to society. Hope that everyone will hear what you are doing and take a good look at how they live from day to day and realize that we should never take anything for granted. Having to endure the Foster Home thing myself when my parents were going through a divorce it really hits home to hear that you are bringing awareness to the country through such an unselfish act.
I Love Country Music and so inspired by the Story that you tell. You are one yeck of a guy to be able to talk about it and move on to a better life. Keep up the Great Job Jimmy. Bless the folks that took you in and gave you the chance to a better life.
Kudo's to You.
Have a Safe Walk.
God Bless
When I first heard him sing , I was amazed by his soulful talent the heart that I felt
come through him. I did not know about the" meet me half way" wow huge thing
he is doing,He Cares!!!!!!!!!!! We need more like him in our troubled society.
And I think he is fantastic talent, Go!!! Jimmy!
Truely amazing and from the heart. People are often asked if they could have dinner with someone famous from history who would it be, for me I would choose Jimmy Wayne. Even though he is not an historical figure(i.e. dead/political etc), I think he is a remarkable, relevant, realistic, down to earth person who is an advocate for children, and persons who have been through hard times. Simply Amazing!!!!!!!!!! and he is funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree, Jimmy is amazing. Whenever things get rough for me I just think of him and what he went through in his past, and I think "if he could get through all that, I can get through this". He inspires me. His cd is in my car and I listen to it all the time to keep me strong and I see him in person whenever possible. I wish I could walk with him but I'm on the east coast, too far away. Thank you Jimmy, for everything you do.
Jimmy Wayne is such a remarkable person. He has taught many of us not to give up when it seems that life is so overwhelming. He also makes us look at life from a different perspective. Stop and smell the roses so to speak and taught us not to take anything for granted. He is an inspiration. We all have complete confidence that he will finish his journey and maybe together we can all make a difference in one person's life. When Jimmy starts his journey, every morning at 10 AM CT we are going to join together and pray for Jimmy along whatever path he takes and whatever greets him along the way. God bless Jimmy Wayne-our Angel here on earth.