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Diabetes Walker's U.S. Trek Hits 10,000th Mile In Tampa

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 4, 2008

Updated: 12/04/2008 12:54 pm

TAMPA - The man known as Mr. Diabetes, nearing the end of an epic walk, hit his 10,000th mile about 11 a.m. today as he worked his way through Tampa.

Andy Mandell's goal is to walk the perimeter of the continental United States, a trek that has stretched over eight years, worn out 23 pairs of shoes and passed through 33 states.

Today, he started at 10:30 a.m. at Henderson Boulevard and Watrous Avenue in South Tampa. About seven-tenths of a mile down Henderson, he completed 10,000 miles. He reached the milestone joined by his brother Jerry and friends Carol Shehady and Lisa Rasolt, who were with Mandell when he started the walk.

"This is really huge," he said in the driveway of a hair salon at the 10,000-mile mark. "I've always been in the moment from the day I started and not projecting to 10,000 miles. Now that I've reached it, it's hitting home."

Today's hike, covering about 4 1/2 miles, will end at Gandy Bridge.

Mandell started his walk in December 2001 at Madeira Beach and is scheduled to end it there Dec. 21 at the headquarters of the Defeat Diabetes Foundation. He founded the nonprofit organization to increase education about the disease.

Mandell, 63, was diagnosed as an insulin-dependent diabetic in 1985.

His trek has taken him along Florida's Gulf coast, then west around the rim of the country.

He's walking to raise awareness, not necessarily money. He talks about the disease with anyone willing to listen. The foundation's Web site, www.defeatdiabetes.org, has chronicled the trek and says Mandell has chatted with 76,000 people.

He started the project to spread multiple messages about diabetes, which affects 24 million people in the United States, although the foundation estimates 8 million of them are unaware they have the disease.

People need to know the disease can be prevented 95 percent of the time, and that risk can be determined before birth, he said.

"If I had known 40 years ago what I know now, I would not be as diabetic as I am or not diabetic at all," Mandell said.

His next project will work with martial arts studios to teach children about diabetes and the role nutrition and fitness play in prevention.

"We have to teach kids growing up different habits," he said.

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