A Quinnipiac grad student who hails from England and now lives in New Haven, Lee-Stuart Evans, is presently embarking on a historical journey by retracing the tracks of The Leatherman.
Known as a vagabond who donned a leather suit, The Leatherman walked a 365-mile loop between the Connecticut and Hudson rivers in just 34 days, sleeping in cave shelters. According to historical accounts, The Leatherman died after suffering from lip cancer.
Evans is running a 365 mile loop through Connecticut and New York in under 7 days. According to a GoFundMe Page established by Shona Cooper in support of the journey, Evans is staying on the trail throughout the run and living homeless for a week. “The loop follows the route taken by the Old Leatherman of Connecticut and will follow his footsteps as closely as possible and aims to finish after 7 days at the site of his grave in Ossining, NY on the 130th Anniversary of his death - 20th March 1889,” she says.
Given The Leatherman's lifestyle and struggle with cancer, Evans is not running in vain but for local charitable causes.
- The Connecticut Cancer Foundation - https://www.ctcancerfoundation.org/
- The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness - https://www.cceh.org/
- The Connecticut Parks and Forests Association - https://www.ctwoodl
Click here for Evan’s research on The Leatherman.
View the GoFundMe Page and make a donation here.
*Image courtesy Twitter @leestuartevans