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Monday, April 7, 2025

“I would do it again in a heartbeat.” – Man who walked 600km to pay wife’s student debt

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A Cape Town man who walked nearly 600 kilometres to raise funds for his wife’s tertiary education says he would do it again in a heartbeat.

Lucien Williams, from Parow West, says it’s been a stressful period, as his wife of 16 years, Washiela had been owing an estimated R30 000 towards her teaching studies.

 

WHY HE DID IT

 

As a husband he felt powerless, and considered ways of how to help his panicked significant other:

 

“I was frustrated as a husband. As a partner, you try to do everything to keep things together. This was just the last straw that hit me. I was frustrated and angry. In conclusion, I was on a walk, at that time, and talking to God when I asked what I was supposed to do, and he just basically said DO THIS, ” explains Williams.

 

The couple celebrates their 16th anniversary on 28 April 2023. Image supplied

On 23 March, he started walking from the DHL Stadium to George, in the Southern Cape, in to raise the much-needed money. The trip ended as planned, on 1 April.

 

His journey concluded on the 1st of this month, and he exceeded his financial goal. His Backabuddy page shows a current total of R33 618,88. Williams says the response has been overwhelming, and that the monetary goal was reached within 4 days, before he had even embarked on his journey. He documented his journey on his Facebook page. 

 

“By God’s grace, we actually made our target within the first 4 days of our story being broadcasted. Even before I left, we had already made our target, ” says Williams.

 

 

He says it was a spiritual experience for him. Image supplied

 

A POSSIBLE SECOND STINT

 

Finally, when Smile FM asked him whether he would do it again, he didn’t hesitate before answering that he would:

 

“Yes. As sore as my body still is, I would gladly do it again because I saw amazing things and I experienced so many things. Mentally, spiritually, physically. It was amazing.”

 

Lastly, The couple and their two children aged 16 and 7, are looking forward to what lies ahead.

 

READ MORE: A woman with Cerebral Palsy will walk for wheelchairs for the underprivileged

Lizell Persens
Lizell Persens
Lizell is a Cape Town-based news anchor, reporter and transcriptionist. She has been a journalist for the past 10 years, and started her career as a TV producer. The avid reader enjoys writing poems, fast cars, music, travelling, and exploring new food.

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