Memphis native Melvin McCoy, the first person on record to walk across Death Valley in the summertime without vehicle assistance, is on the road again. To raise money and awareness for veterans issues such as homelessness and struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder, McCoy and his dog, Maxwell, are walking from Knoxville, Tennessee, to Washington, D.C. The journey will take the pair over 500 miles along stretches of highway where the heat index can get over 100. McCoy is being sponsored by Alpha Omega, a veterans services organization based in Memphis.
McCoy and Maxwell started their walk on July 3 and average about 10 miles a day. They still have about one month left before they reach the final destination. Along the way, McCoy is talking with veterans to get their perspective.
"I'm having a lot of conversations with veterans as I make this crossing and I'm getting a lot of input and what their concerns are so we'll certainly have some measure of statement. We're not political. We just want people to be aware and be supportive," McCoy told WJHL News.
You can follow McCoy and Maxwell's daily progress on Twitter by following @melvinthemule.