Pulled into a parking spot outside Tim Hortons on Monday morning wasn’t the usual car or truck — it was a small, hand-built camper with a sign taped to the front reading: Walking across Canada for Mental Health.
The camper, built on a repurposed Mennonite cart base and fitted with a tiny sleeping cabin, is being hauled by 45-year-old Michael “Mikey” Morrison, who is walking across the country to raise awareness and build connections with those struggling with mental health.
“A lot of people are just lacking somebody with an ear just to listen to them and arms to embrace them because let’s face it, there’s a lot of people that don’t get hugged. You know what I mean?”
Morrison, who lives with bipolar disorder, isn’t alone on the journey.
He’s joined by his longtime friend John White, who follows close behind in a small support vehicle, which White sleeps in. He adds that he’s hoping to find a way to upgrade to an SUV to make the trip more manageable, as sleeping in the car is cramped.
Morrison began his trek on May 15 in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, with the goal of reaching Newfoundland by the end of summer — and seeing family along the way, including a grandchild he’s never met.
The duo spent Sunday night at the Bancroft Motor Inn, thanks to a local resident who saw their story on Facebook and offered to cover the cost of a room.
“I try to post ahead to see if there’s anybody who can loan us a driveway, a campsite, some food — whatever,” White said. “People have been really generous.”
Each day White and Morrison head out around 5:30 or 6 a.m., with Morrison pulling the roughly 100-pound trailer on foot for 12 hours or so, rarely stopping for longer than a few minutes.
“I’ve had people pull over just to hug me,” he said. “They tell me about their pain, trauma, healing — and I carry those stories with me. Their stories help me push through.”
He also sees the trailer he pulls as more than just a shelter.
“We all have things weighing us down. We all have problems we drag with us.. and that’s a significance for the trailer…The weight we all carry on our shoulders. Life’s an uphill battle. And it’s how you come down the other side.”
White has witnessed both the toll and the impact of the walk.
“I’ve seen him crying after talking with strangers,” he said. “Some days are really hard. But so many people just need someone to listen. That’s what we’re doing.”
After suffering a recent knee injury, Morrison plans to take a short break back home in Cambridge to see a doctor before resuming his trek eastward.
He hopes others will join him, even briefly.
“If you see me come through your town — come walk with me,” he said. “Even just a kilometre. Or more. Just bring a tent and food. It’s an epic adventure — and I’d love the company.”
Morrison also hopes to continue the journey next year, making his way all the way to the West Coast by summer 2026.
You can follow Morrison and White’s journey on Facebook here.
“This has become bigger than me,” Morrison said. “It’s not just my journey anymore — it’s everybody’s.”
