Thessalon student heading to Sudbury on foot to raise funds for diabetes research

Some individuals will allow nothing to get in their way of achieving a goal.

Talon King of Thessalon is such an example.

The Grade 12 Central Algoma Secondary School student, who lives with Type 1 diabetes, is currently walking the distance between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury not only for a sense of personal achievement but also to raise funds for diabetes research.

He began his journey Monday, Nov. 27 at the Highway 17 bypass just outside the Sault.

“I’m feeling pretty good. My legs and feet are a little sore but it’s not too bad. Nothing will stop me,” King told SooToday in a phone interview while resting near Thessalon on Friday.

“There are some times when my legs really hurt and I want to quit, but there are a lot of people watching me and I can’t just stop. I’m pretty motivated to get to the finish line.”

People are indeed watching.

King set up a GoFundMe site to raise $5,000 for diabetes research. 

“I really didn't think it would get to $1,000 and it’s already sitting at $1,200 so I’m really happy with how it’s going,” King said.

“The funds will go to Diabetes Canada and they’ll use it for any sort of research that’s related to diabetes, Type 1 or Type 2.”

His decision to walk from the Sault to Sudbury stems from a recent school day at CASS. 

“I was in my sociology class and we’re required to do some sort of fundraising for charity. I was choosing between running really far or going door to door for donations."

“I figured if I had twenty dollars and I was going to donate it, would I donate it to the guy who came to my door and asked for a donation, or the guy who says ‘I’m going to do something to prove how much this matters to me.’”

With that, King made the decision to start his roadside journey.

“I was just going to go from Sault Ste. Marie to Blind River and that’s about 140 kilometres.”

“I decided I’d go to Sudbury because 300 kilometres sounded better,” King laughed.

King is accompanied by his mother, who follows him in her van.

For now, King’s mother drives him back home to Thessalon every night, then drives him back to where he left off the night before. As they get closer to Sudbury, he and his mother will sleep overnight in her van. 

His trek involves long days.

“I get up around nine or ten. We leave around eleven and then I’m usually out running until eleven or twelve at night.”

He runs along the highway when he can, then walks when feeling tired.

“I’ve been walking for longer than I’ve been running but I’ve ran further than I’ve walked.”

King said he plans to follow Terry Fox’s route and walk across Canada one day.

“I don’t know when I’m going to do that, but I do want to do that, from Newfoundland to BC. I want to go the whole way and that’ll be a fundraiser too.”

He also wants to experience mountain climbing on every continent.

King’s struggle with Type 1 diabetes dates back to Jan. 2020.

He started losing weight rapidly and was down to 27 kilograms (60 pounds).

King was taken by ambulance from Thessalon to Sault Area Hospital, where he was admitted, diagnosed and treated for severe Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). 

He was told that had he waited three more days to go to the Emergency Department his organs would have started to shut down. 

Eventually he regained some weight and was back up to 54 kilograms (120 pounds) but struggled with depression.

King combatted depression by starting to take long walks, and now he's Sudbury-bound.

“When I first started I was really naive about the distance and I thought I could do it in four or five days. I can’t but I think I can get there by Wednesday (Dec. 6),” King said.

“I’m not quite sure where I want to stop in Sudbury. I just know I want to make it to the city.”

King will then be driven back home to Thessalon by his mother.

“A lot of people think it’s really impressive. A lot of people think I’m crazy but for the most part people think it’s a cool thing that I’m doing.”

As for the future, King said he plans to work at a mill near Thessalon for a year, then do some academic upgrading at Sault College with his eyes set on eventually studying computer science.

“Things can seem hard sometimes but you’ve just got to go one foot after the other until you reach where you want to be,” King said of his journey to Sudbury and life in general.

“Quitting is the easier option but you’ll regret it in the long run if you don’t make it to where you want to be.”