Rich Dixon continuing the story.

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Last time… the downside of media attention.

Becky apparently attracted a stalker. She walked quickly toward me. “See that man?” He stood watching from across the street.

“He’s been following me most of the day. Every time I stopped I noticed his truck. I thought I was being paranoid, but it’s the same guy and the same truck.”

Your mind imagines horrible possibilities when you’re pursued by a stranger in unfamiliar surroundings. So I was more than a little concerned when he crossed the street and walked toward us.

As he reached our little staging area, he stopped, scuffed his feet, and stared at the ground. He started to speak a couple of times, hesitated, wanted to begin a conversation but couldn’t find the right words. Finally Becky broke the awkward silence.

As he relaxed, we listened to a heart-wrenching tale.

He saw our story on local television and drove to our planned route hoping for an opportunity to talk to us. He spotted me, then the trailer, but couldn’t summon the courage to approach. So he followed nearly forty miles, searching for the right moment.

He wanted to tell us about his boy, who struggled with a rare and especially difficult form of diabetes. At age eleven, his son was beginning to understand the realities of his disease. He realized he wouldn’t be able to participate in many of the same activities as his friends, and he was angry.

His father didn’t know how to talk to his son about their emotions. What he wanted to express – the reason he followed us all morning – was his appreciation for our story because it got them talking.

A simple bike ride planted the seed and opened the door for dad and son to talk about overcoming a difficult situation.

He asked for words of wisdom…next time.

To be continued…