The German Forrest Gump makes his way to Yucatán
The man dubbed the German Forrest Gump ran his way into Mérida yesterday.
His arrival in the city also marked the one-year anniversary of his leaving his hometown of Stuttgart to embark on his journey.
“Today as I enter Mérida it’s been exactly 365 days since I left home and I can’t think of a better place to celebrate this accomplishment,” said Jonas Deichmann.
Through his journey, the 34-year-old German national has run across mountains, swam across rivers, and endured harsh climatic conditions.
Even before he began his adventure, Deichmann was already an accomplished ultra-marathon runner and triathlete who had competed in events all over the globe.
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The athlete ran his way across much of Europe and Asia before boarding a flight to Tijuana where his journey on Mexican soil began.
Just like the real Forrest Gump, a character from a movie of the same name played by Tom Hanks, Deichmann has attracted a fan base of runners who have accompanied him during part of his odyssey.
But unlike the real Forrest Gump Deichmann’s incredible journey comes with a humanitarian purpose. Through donations and sponsorships, he has been able to raise over 15 USD for a charity called World Bicycle Relief, which purchases bikes for children in Africa who need a way to get to school.
After his brief stay in Mérida and a hearty breakfast, Deichman made his way to Umán and from there continued on towards Cancún.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer, adventure leader, and PhD candidate. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
