Walk to Beautiful: The Power of Love and a Homeless Kid Who Found the Way
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Russ Harrington
Cheryl Harris
Richard Harris
Caroline Harrison
Frank Harrison
James Harrison
Jan Harrison
Kevin Harrison and family
Tony Haselden
Governor Bill Haslam
Brian Hayes
Ron Hemby
Don Henry
James D Hicks
Wes Hightower
Lindsay Hill
Drew Hodges
Jody Hogshead
Julia Hollis-Alger
Zachary Horlacher
Chad Houser
Susan Howard
Danielle Huffman
Jerry Hufford
Donna Hughes
Trina Hunn
Sonya Isac
Darby Jackson
Josh Jackson
Nioshi Jackson
Justin Jackson & Paris
Carrie Jahnke
John Jarvis
JCPenney
Tami Jo
Kirk “Jelly Roll” Johnson
Kirsten and Blu Johnson
Tim Johnson
Gary Johnston
Rusty Jones
Sherry Jones
Sara Jouret
Sandy Judge
Sister Mary Justin
Karen Keely
Charlie Keever
Dorothy Keever
Barrett Keith
Cody Keith
Gloria Keith
Graeme Keith
Greg Keith
India Keith
Tanner Keith
Dowd Keith Simpson
Jack Keller
Amie Kelly
Becky Kelso
Debra Kelso
Lloyd Kelso
Reese Kelso
Gina Keltner
Mike Kennedy
Jack Kincade
Alex King
Bobby King
Caroline King
Jackie Lee King
Sherri Kinzer
Billy Kirsch
Cindy Kisamore
Drew Kisamore
Jacob Kisamore
Kevin Kisamore
Sean Klug
Shelby Klug
Sue Klug
Todd Klug
Coach Kraski
Mike Kraski
Jennifer Kummer
Shane LaCount
Chris Ladd
Trooper Eric Lamb
Senator Mary Landrieu
Catherine Lane
Don Lawerence
Susan Ligon
David H. Lillard Jr.
Rod Littlejohn
Brent Long
Jacob Lowery
Andrea Lucado
Max Lucado
Sharon Lucasi
Tony Lucido
Gary Luffman
Eric Lulow
Paula Major
Sarah Majors
Jim Mantel and family
Buddy Manwiller
Rick Manwiller
Marmot
Carol Martin
Cheri Martin
Cheryl Martin
Hank Martin
Mark Martin
Tony Martin
Pastor David & Elaine Mason
AJ Masters
David Masters
Anthony Mazza
Matt McAllister
Judge Cheryl McCally
Anthony and Keliea McCartney
Robin McClain
Scott McClain
Shannon McComb
Rick McCracken
The McCrary Sisters
Dawn McDonald
T J McEntire
David McLaughlin
Lisa Meijer
Merrell
Bobby Messano
Jo Dee Messina
Andy Meyer
Tammy Meyers
Sister Mary Michael
Bill Miller
Don Miller
Pat Miller
Tina Miller
Miriam Mimms
Marie Moffitt
Charlie Monk
Jamie Montgomery
Lisa Montgomery
Stacey Montoya
Melissa Moon
Travis Moon
Alex Moore
Amy Moore
Bobby Moore
Margaret Moore
Mark Moore
Joe Morris
Ken Morton and family
David Lee Murphy
Kimberly Murphy
Marcy Mynatt
Abbe Nameche
Anne Neilson
Blakely Neilson
Catherine Neilson
Clark Neilson
Ford Neilson
Taylor Neilson
Stephanie Nemec
Mark Nesler
Tauni Newman
Jeff Newton
Stephanie Newton
Suzanne Niles
Eva Nimark
Nita the Trail Angel
Alicia Null
Gregory Null
Pam Null
Jennifer O’Brien Enoch
Patrick O’Neil
Trish O’Neil
Brian Oakes
Aimee Oates
John Oates & Daryl Hall
Tanner Oates
Danny Orton
Greg Oswald
Jeremy Wayne Overall
Doug Overbey
Kay Overbey
Chad Owens
David Pack
Dave Pahanish
Brad Paisley
Doug Paisley
Jasper Paisley
Kim Paisley
Sandy Paisley
Zach Parolin
Debbie Parsley
Russ Paul
Larry Paxton
Buddy Peacock
Danielle Peck
Geoff Penske
Walter Petrie
LeAnn Phelan
Hally Phillips
James Phinney
Kathy & the Pie-O-Neer family
Jeff Pierson
Jackie Pillers
Andrea Poe
Meaghan Porter
T. Kareem Powell
Don Poythress
Jeanne J. Preisler
Gigi Price
Mark Price
Melvin Proctor
Ray Pronto
Eric Pruitt
Kathy Ramper
Windi Raper
Amy Rathburg
Red Roof Inn
Nicholas Reed
Rebecca Reed
Bob Regan
Brett Regan
Jamie Regan
Carol Reid
Jacob Reid
Doug Rich
Kelly Rich
Johnny Richardson
Keith Riley
Catherine Ring
Ethan Ring
Keri Ring
Tommy Ring
John Ritter
Cathy Robbins
Ronnie Robbins
Julie Roberts
Kenny Robertson
Mike Robertson
Jeremy Robinson
Karen Rochelle
Beth Roden
Scott Rogers
Mike Rojas
John Rolfe and family
Roper
Jeff Roper
Ryman Auditorium
Jason Saiz
Quannah Saiz
Seth Saiz
Tyler Saiz
Don Sampson
Lisa Sanders
Cynthia Sanz
Amber Saunders
Guenn Schneider
Aris Schwab
Scooby
Susie Scott
Heather Sczepczenski
Dan Semler
Wendy Semler
Joan Shannon
Tony Shannon
John Shomby
Julie Simpson
Isabel Simpson-Kirsch
Julian Simpson-Kirsch
Alison Smith
Cassi Smith
Gracie Smith
Graham Smith
Kristi Smith
Marcus Smith
Songwriters Hall of Fame
Southwest Airlines
Darwin Spain
Cynthia Sparks
Sandi Spika
Scott Splawn
Jennifer Stair
Brandon Stewart
Brittany Stewart
Christopher Stewart
Eric Stewart
Jonathan Stewart
Joshua Stewart
Kathey Stewart
Kenneth Wayne Stewart
Kenneth Wayne Stewart II
Josh Stites
DJ Stout
Emily Sweeney
Jesse Tack
LuAnn Tacke
Rob Tanner
Jeni Taylor
Bobby Terry
Tina Thomas
Brianna Thrasher
Kylie Thrasher
Mackenzie Thrasher
Sharon Thrasher
Travis Thrasher
James Tillman
Lauren Tingle
Debbie Tod
Keith Todd
Terri Todd
Troy Tomlinson
Tony’s Ice Cream
Lupe Tovar
Will Trapp
Jerin Truesdale
Josh Turner
Kristen Vasgaard
David Vincent
Virginia & Don
Debbie Vought
Jason Wain
Joe Wallace
Karen Warnick
Steve & Karen Warnier
Donna Warren
Kenner Warren
Marci Warren
Storme Warren
Topher Warren
Cindy Watts
Jim Weatherly
Matt Weber
Julie Wehner
Thompson Wells
Todd Wells
Sue Anne Wells
Joe West
Jonathan West
Kim West
Rick West
Zach West
Mike Whelan
Dazzia White
Decarlos White
DeMallon White
DeNya White
Kathy White
Lucille White
Mark White
Tawanda White
Gabe Wicks
Debbie Wickwire
Doug Wickwire
David V. Williams
Hank Williams
David Winning
Bill & Willodean Wise
Kerry Wolfe
Jill Wood
Glen Worf
Darryl Worley
Charlie Worsham
Cole Wright
Mark Yost
Alison Young
Amanda Young
Craig Young
Russell Young
Johnathan Yudkin
Zeke
PHOTOS
Photo by Michael “Moses” Beck
In the spotlight at Madison Square Garden, gazing out at 18,000 screaming fans, all I could see were the exit lights, as pivotal events of my life flashed through my mind.
Carroll Collins, Mama, Patricia, and me. Carroll treated Mama like a queen.
Picture day, and I fell chin-first on a huge rock in the front yard while waiting for the bus to arrive.
Our first and last Merry Christmas living with Carroll in Johnsonville, SC.
I was only seven years old when I experienced the horrors of Vance Street.
Patricia (right) and I were like sister and brother to our foster sister, Tina Miller (left).
One of the many receipts for money orders I sent to Mama while she was behind bars.
Living with Grandpa when Mama was gone, Patricia often played the role of parent.
After Sparkles died, J.R. took her pups to the pound and brought back this newspaper clipping for me.
Ms. Friday (top row, center) was my sixth-grade teacher—twice. With the help of her leather strap, she taught me discipline. She also taught me to journal.
I included my sixth grade progress report in my first CD liner notes.
At my debut CD release party, I saw Ms. Friday for the first time since sixth grade. She stood in line for two hours to surprise me.
As soon as I saw Ms. Friday, I gave her a big hug. She is not merely a teacher; she is an educator. She still keeps in touch with me to this day.
Tim, Mama, me, and Grandpa. I was thirteen in this photo, just before Mama and Tim abandoned me at the Pensacola bus station parking lot in the middle of the night and drove away.
The Trailways bus station parking lot. After I bought this bus ticket, I had twenty-five cents left in my pocket.
I lived at Faith Farm fifteen weeks and a day. I really didn’t want to leave. Mama came to my “victory party” and took me back but abandoned me again. This receipt is for the sleeping bag I purchased when I lived in an old house trailer that had no heat, electricity, or water.
I followed my art teacher’s instructions to paint this piece “upside down.” When I turned it “right side up,” I discovered a beautiful painting of the Outer Banks, which gave me hope that one day my life might turn around and become a beautiful picture too.
I was sixteen when my nephew Brian was born.
Brian came along as a support vehicle driver during my walk halfway across America.
My niece, Charleigh, and I enjoyed a day in Malibu.
By age three Charleigh had already been in three foster homes. Patricia and her husband, Tim Looper, adopted her and became her Bea and Russell.
This is foster care that has come full circle. Charleigh is all about the curls and pearls; she’s a girly girl!
Bea and Russell Costner, the elderly couple who invited me to move in with them as a sixteen-year-old homeless boy. They changed every cell in my body.
Bea and Russell’s house, where I lived for six years.
Bea attended all of my shows—this picture was taken at my first paid event.
A pianist and poet, Bea always encouraged me to pursue my dreams of becoming a musician, but she didn’t live long enough to hear me on the radio or to see me perform on the Grand Ole Opry.
After Russell died, Bea would sit every day in these green chairs facing their woodshop—the chairs are in my home today.
My junior high guidance counselor, Cindy Ballard, refused to give up on me.
Thanks to Cindy, I graduated, class of ’92.
After moving in with Bea and Russell, I had perfect attendance for three straight years.
In 1994, I earned an associate degree in criminal justice . . . because I knew a lot about it.
Working as an officer for the North Carolina Department of Corrections, I saw many of the kids I grew up with in the system, including DD, one of my best friends.
Photo by James Labrenz
This was where my music career really started Fantasyche. (left to right) Me, Rob Daniels, Chad Houser, Richard Calhoun, and Eric Pruitt.
The guy who brought me to Nashville and signed me to Opryland Music Group, Mike Whelan, also introduced me to the Blue Bird Café, Music City’s legendary songwriters’ venue.
Photo by Russ Harrington
People 2003 “Sexiest Man Alive” issue—obviously they needed a page filler!
Signing my first recording contract with Dreamworks—I felt as though I had just won the lottery!
Photo by Vickie Ferrante
Rob Daniels and me, on stage together again. Nineteen years earlier, on the Osage Mill shipping dock in Bessemer City, we had dreamed of this moment.
Photo by Lillie Pawluk
Crowd surfing and trusting fans not to drop me—they never let me down.
Photo by Vickie Ferrante
On the road with Brad Paisley’s American Saturday Night tour, playing my black Takamine guitar, singing “Sara Smile,” the song that got me my record deal.
Posing with my four band members—we did it! We had just performed at one of the most
famous venues in the world!
January 1, 2010, in below-zero wind chill, I began walking halfway across America to raise awareness for at-risk youth aging out of foster care.
I found Ruby in White Deer, Texas. She had been in a kill shelter, so I adopted her and brought her to Nashville.
Six months after leaving Nashville, I finally arrived in Arizona. It would be another month before Ruby and I reached Phoenix.
Photo by Chris Baldwin
During Meet Me Halfway, Dr. Brian Allen read a People article with this photo. When I broke my foot, he opened his office on a weekend to help me. I couldn’t have finished the walk without all the good people who supported me every step of the way.
Photo by Missy Gorskie
Kids at HomeBase Youth Service in Phoenix, waiting for me to cross the finish line. They understood and appreciated my walking 1,700 miles. I was nearly overwhelmed with emotion. This was what I was born to do.
Chris Hollo photograph © 2003 Grand Ole Opry LLC
Being presented a bill signed by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, extending foster care to age twenty-one—a major victory and worth every step! (left to right) Grand Ole Opry General Manager Pete Fisher, State Representative Mark White, me, State Senator Doug Overbey, and State Treasurer David H. Lillard Jr.
AP Photo/Ralph Freso
Don’t walk only when it is convenient; don’t merely walk till you get tired; keep walking through it all. Walk to Beautiful.