Man Walks 31,000 Miles Around the World in 28 Years and Finally Hugs His Mom Back Home in England

In 1998, Karl Bushby left his hometown of Hull, England, with a backpack and one promise: he would return walking. Twenty-eight years and roughly 31,000 miles later, he made good on it. The former paratrooper crossed 30 countries, navigated the Darien Gap, swam the Caspian Sea, and was even arrested in Russia along the way. After tunnel operators denied him passage under the English Channel last month, he swam it instead. This week he walked the final three miles into Queen Victoria Square to a hero’s welcome and a tearful embrace from his mother, Angela.

Experts and fans call it the longest unbroken foot journey in history, and the details back that up. In 2006, Bushby and fellow adventurer Dimitri Kieffer completed the first recorded crossing of the Bering Strait on foot and by swimming. But for all the headline-grabbing feats, the emotional center of the story is a reunion nearly three decades in the making. His first words to his mom:“You’ve changed a bit.”Her reply:“I’m older. Well done for hanging in there.”

Bushby credits the kindness of strangers in every country for getting him home. It’s a reminder that huge goals don’t happen overnight, and sometimes the finish line is just your mom’s front door. What’s the longest you’ve ever chased a dream? Tell us in the comments.