It’s not every day that you see a person in a bucket hat walking around town carrying a giant 80-pound backpack, walking stick in hand. But this sight may become more familiar for those in Lee County as one particular backpacker makes his way from coast to coast.
This man from Patrick Springs, Virginia, Steve Young, is on a mission.
His goal during his cross-country hikes is to spread the word about a children’s camp for disabled kids and their families, who are experiencing distress “through everything from cancer to autism,” Young said.
Called Victory Junction, the camp was founded in honor of stock car driver Adam Petty, who perished after a car accident at just 19 years old in 2000 where he collided with a wall. Young said that Adam’s death, due to a basal neck fracture, as well as another tragic loss– only weeks later– of driver Kenny Irwin Jr. at the same section of track, and later deaths of Tony Roper and Dale Earnhardt at other tracks, eventually prompted NASCAR to mandatorily implement a type of head and neck restraint called a HANS device with drivers. These have prevented major injury and death in similar NASCAR accidents since the mandate went into effect, Young said.
Adam and brother Austin Petty often did charity work together at hospitals, Young said, so Victory Junction was in line with Adam’s efforts of helping those in need. The camp, organized by the Petty family, is one of several SeriousFun Camps which were founded by Paul Newman. Young said pop star Taylor Swift has donated in the form of a pink truck for use at the camp as well.
Young says the camps are completely free, and the entire family is invited to stay there. Kids get to do all sorts of activities, from horseback riding to zip-lines, in a Christian environment. Everything is taken care of for participants during the year-long stay, Young said, as it’s meant to give hope and assist in healing as much as possible.
When you get to know Young, you will find he has no problem conversing about the camps and more. “I’ll talk your ear off” he admitted, and undoubtedly he is a very friendly and proudly shares his tales. He is even in the process of writing a personal account of his walks, a book he is calling “One Man’s Journey of Hope and Faith.”
While at times Young may look slightly disheveled, maybe a little sunburnt, it’s just a side effect of being on the road for months. But he said he doesn’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable with his presence.
To allay any concerns, Young said that when he finds himself in a new city, the first thing he does is visit the city hall, police and fire departments. He proudly displayed a collection of patches he has received through his travels.
He is old-school as well, preferring a flip-phone to communicate and paper road atlas to navigate.
He’s come through Keokuk twice, but when visiting this time, didn’t realize he’d already been here– at first. Sometimes when visiting so many different areas, it can all become a blur, but City Clerk Amy Benson and others at the Keokuk City Hall remembered him, and helped him find a place for lodging, as he was searching for an affordable hotel. He was touched that they also kept a handmade cross he gave them, saying they’d even taped it on the wall.
Pulling out a large sack of crosses, Young said he makes them out of crafting sticks (like popsicle sticks), and has crafted over 7000 to hand out. He also handwrites a message on each one. The one he delivered to Keokuk City Hall said “faith,” for example.
His generous attitude comes as no surprise, considering Young is a self-professed Christian. Spreading an evangelical message is something he enjoys doing, and is part of the reason for his journeying.
But it is a long road ahead each time. On his previous visit, Young was traveling across to the Illinois side, but this time, he is heading the other direction, down Highway 218 and beyond. He is heading for California. This is his third trip across America since 2020.
Young said what he typically asks about first is where he can set up a tent, and authorities tell him where it is safe and acceptable to do so. Yet this means he is usually out in the elements, be it rain, snow, or excessive heat. But luckily for him, he often finds himself the recipient of others’ goodwill and many have opened their homes to let him stay there awhile, Young said. Sometimes he even stays in churches, saying while many are helpful, some were “stand-offish.” But he remains focused and lets the negativity wash off him like a water on a duck’s back.
During one very cold day, Young said he had his tent set up, and he received a visit form law enforcement simply doing their job to check and see why a person would be out when frostbite could strike. Young, who is not in the least bit shy, said he befriended this particular officer. “Do you know it’s negative 10 degrees out?” the officer said, according to Young. After this, Young said the officer offered to take him to get groceries, even inviting him to stay with his family several days to be out of the cold. It was certainly heartwarming to hear of such occurrences on the road.
Young proudly stated that he has been featured in several news outlets, on Facebook and even did a YouTube interview. One of these is the Times West Virginian, a publication closer to the area he resides in (no, he is not homeless, he asserted). Young keeps these snippets as mementos, eager to share them with everyone.
An excerpt from one of Young’s favorite supporters, Mayor Mark J. Wilson of Glencoe, Kentucky, says it well: “…sometimes, God brings extraordinary people into our lives to inspire us to persevere when we feel exhausted. Steve Young’s selfless spirit is a testament to the human capacity for kindness and generosity, and he deserves our deepest admiration and gratitude for his tireless efforts to make a difference in the lives of children with disabilities.”
Those looking for more information about Victory Junction may contact them. Mailing address: 4500 Adamsway, Randleman, North Carolina; camp website: victoryjunction.org.
