This Story is from the California (Missouri) Democratic newspaper
July 22, 2007
Personal loss inspires cross-country journey
By Rebecca Kennedy
Democrat Staff

On April 1, Mario Waclawski, San Diego, began a journey that he had planned in 1999, after losing his wife to cervical cancer.

Beginning at his coffee shop, The Hancock Street Cafe, in San Diego, Mario took off on foot, dressed in a tuxedo with just his guitar and one bag, for a walk across the United States to spread awareness of cervical cancer.

“When my wife died on May 18, 1999, I promised myself I would do this when I turned 50.” Why the tuxedo? “So I can be ready to get married if I meet the right woman,” he said.

Mario averages about 20 miles a day, sometimes less, sometimes more. But the main purpose is to get the word out about cervical cancer. “It's time for a wake-up, it's not about money, it's about fixing this problem,” Mario said regarding his goal.

To him, there is no such thing as a bad day. If there is nowhere to stay, he sleeps in the great outdoors. “Once, a man gave me a hundred dollar bill and I was so shocked, but the man said, ‘It's not from me, it's from God. I'm just the messenger.' I thought, wait, I'm the messenger! I have had such blessings. I'm so happy to be doing this.”

As Mario travels, he documents everything by journal, tape recorder and video. He intends to do this every year, but next year he hopes to have two people with him, and possibly even film the journey. He is also collecting souvenirs from each place he goes to display in his coffee shop.

Mario came through California on Tuesday, July 10, and stayed at the California Motel for the evening, courtesy of the California Ministerial Alliance. By Wednesday afternoon he was headed down Highway 50 towards Jefferson City. When asked if he ever gets scared, Mario answered, “The only time I was scared was going through bear country. But I talked to some Navajos, and they told me the bears were more scared of me than I was of them so it was okay.”


When traveling, he says it's just him and God, and all the good people, “Every state is different but all good, very good people.”

When asked what the best experience has been so far, Mario recalls being in New Mexico on the eight-year anniversary of his wife's death. “I went to a church and just rested for a few hours. I left with such a calm feeling; just peaceful. I had a motel and food and I realized I had nothing to worry about.”
 

The story continues....


Olney Daily Mail

Walker visits Olney on way to D.C.
By Kevin Ryden
Published: Friday, July 27, 2007 2:57 PM CDT

Wearing a tuxedo, an English bobby helmet and giant sunglasses while pulling a decorated guitar case full of belongings, a California man strolled Wednesday morning into Olney as part of his journey across the country, hoping to have a sit-down with President Bush.

Alec Waclawski, who prefers to go by his middle name, Mario, and sports a mustache, immigrated to America from Poland more than 20 years ago.

The 50-year-old father of three owns a coffee shop in San Diego and has been waiting eight years to start walking across the country. After his wife, Joanna, died of cervical cancer in 1999,Waclawski made plans to walk across the country to raise awareness of the disease and other related issues, such as chemotherapy.
“I truly feel very, very positive about this,” he said.

He averages 20 miles per day and has been mainly walking on the road that leads many travelers to Olney: U.S. 50. “I'm 50 years old and I'm using Highway 50,” he mused.

Instead of preparing for the long trip with lots of gear, food and water, Waclawski decided to go for a more humorous look as he tries to look like Charlie Chaplin and Benny Hill and only take with him some essentials, having faith that God would help him with the rest.

He has no money, credit cards, cell phone or support group. “Just God and me,” he said, smiling.

Waclawski said people can relate to humor and it makes his job easier to relay his message. “I tell people I want to be more stupid than smart,” he joked.

He left April 1, a date that he feels added to his humor, and plans to arrive in Washington, D.C., by Sept. 11 when he will attempt to meet with President Bush to discuss cancer and chemotherapy.



He is walking through 12 states and making 160 stops. He is also filming approximately 1,500 hours of footage from his trek.

On a table at Hovey's, where he ate breakfast Wednesday, he displayed the many business cards and other mementos he's accumulated during his trip. Some Olney residents wrote their name and address on napkins for him.

All of these things will be published in his book after he returns to San Diego, he said. The walk, which has been dubbed “The Famous Benny Chaplin Walk-A-Thon,” will be an annual event, according to Waclawski.

During his current trip, he has met people from all walks of life and from other nations, including England, Germany and Switzerland, and is intrigued by their stories.

He said people will be able to call one another once his book is published and they see the various business cards. “The stories will go on and on and on,” he said.

His children, who range in age from 15 to 21, are running his business while he is gone.

“It's for their mother's memory,” he said is another reason for his trip. “I'm very proud of my kids. ... Love is forever. Everything dies. Love is forever.”

Although money can be raised for a cause, Waclawski said it doesn't matter to him. “Lots of people raise money. So what? It's not going to change anything.”

Remaining positive about the trip is something Waclawski wants to continue. He said he hasn't met any bad people and is allowing God to be his guide.

“It's whatever happens, happens,” he said.

Although he brought no food or money with him, he has still been able to eat a meal or two every day and occasionally stays in a motel or other housing because of the generosity of strangers.

“I know I'm not going to die because so many people will come to me at the right time,” Waclawski said, adding that he is not looking or asking for anything. “They're all good people. It's all good people.”



When asked how he plans to get back to San Diego once he reaches his destination, Waclawski said he is not worried about it, but is confident someone will eventually help get him home.

He wants the people he meets to be part of his story and said everyone has a power over them that “we all connect to.”

He believes he is a messenger, but he is not quite ready to share his message.



If the public is told what he knows about chemotherapy, he will be in trouble “from the top,” he said. Only President Bush needs to hear about it first, Waclawski believes.

“The president needs to talk to the public if he feels this is good,” he said about his message.

Waclawski realizes his he may not get his chance to have a meeting with Bush, but he is determined to have him listen to what he has to say.



“If not this year, next year when I do this again,” he said of his goal.

He already had a brush with the president and he believes it was a sign, not a coincidence that it happened in the middle of his journey.

While in Wichita, Kan., Waclawski was kicked out of a facility Bush was scheduled to visit when he said wanted to play some music for the president.

Waclawski instead waited outside and began filming and got some footage of the president waving. The Secret Service searched Waclawski's possessions, but he said they treated him kindly.

“So, I was the famous camera guy,” he laughed.

http://www.olneydailymail.com/articles/2007/07/27/news/news01.txt

Kevin Ryden can be reached at kryden@olneydailymail.com.
 

MARIO IN OHIO:

The Washington Times-Herald
102 E. Van Trees, Washington, IN 47501Published July 31, 2007 11:01 am - MONTGOMERY — It’s not everyday that one sees a man in a tuxedo, Elvis-style sunglasses and a British police helmet walking along the streets of Montgomery.


Man walks across country to promote cancer awareness
By Nate Smith, Staff Writer
— MONTGOMERY — It’s not everyday that one sees a man in a tuxedo, Elvis-style sunglasses and a British police helmet walking along the streets of Montgomery.
But Mario Waclawski is not an everyday person. The San Diego-native is walking, without money or credit cards, from his coffee shop in San Diego to Washington D.C. to promote cancer awareness.
“The money is not the issue, it’s about the knowledge,” Waclawski said in his heavily accented English.
The 50-year-old native of Poland was in Daviess County on Sunday and Monday. After spending the night at the Gasthof Village Inn, he was continuing his journey to the District of Columbia when he talked with Times-Herald photographer Kelly Overton.
Waclawski started the journey from the Hancock Street Cafe in San Diego in April, and he wants to be at The White House in September. His three children, Martin, Paul and Alexandra are taking care of the shop in his absence.
“I started because my wife Joanna died from cervical cancer eight years ago, and I promised myself when I am 50 years old I was going to do something different, something about awareness to make it better,” Waclawski said. “It doesn’t matter how much we do, we can make it better. There is no limit to it, right? I’m not a doctor, but I thought I have to do something positive. Something with a lot of energy. I’ve met so many people, and this is powerful energy.”
As for the getup, Waclawski said he is mixing his two favorite comedians, Charlie Chaplin and Benny Hill.
“This is original,” Waclawski said.
But, the man didn’t have far to walk. He was picked up by the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department soon after talking with Overton.
They took him to Martin County.
But after walking a thousand miles or so, he said the help he has received from strangers has been phenomenal. He has a stack of 5,000 business cards, mostly from law enforcement agencies helping him.
“I’ve had a lot of help from the sheriff’s departments and a lot of different people,” Waclawski said. “They help me a lot. It’s all positive because they worry about you. I say, ‘Wow. I have so many friends.’”
Waclawski hopes to turn his experience into a book.
“Everything accidentally happened,” Waclawski said. “That’s the title of my book. This is so cool, but I’ve met some really interesting people.”
Even though walking in 90-degree humidity with a tuxedo is hard enough, the toughest part was in the deserts of California, Arizona and New Mexico. Even though Waclawski planned for six months, he does not use a sleeping bag or a tent.
“If I’m lucky. I have a jacket and some kind of blanket,” Waclawski said. “It’s summer and it’s beautiful out here. When you try, you feel good. Just think positive.”
The man has already talked to several newspapers and television and radio stations during his journey. But, he doesn’t know how he will get back home.
“I’ve got a message for the White House,” Waclawski said. “I wrote a letter to the President six months ago. I am so glad that I have a lot of people helping me.
“Every day I get a lot of questions and I don’t know. I started with no money, no credit card, nothing. Just me and God and walking.
“Maybe somebody will buy me a ticket.”