One Alabama man has just proven that you don't have to be young to hike the entire Appalachian Trail. M.J. "Sunny" Eberhart, also known as "Nimblewill Nomad," entered the record books as the oldest person to complete the roughly 2,190-mile trail from Georgia to Maine on Sunday.
The 83-year-old retired eye doctor admitted that he faced some difficulties along the way but he was determined to complete the venture. "I've got a couple of skid marks on me, but I'm okay," he said. "You've got to have an incredible resolve to do this."
Eberhart explained that he finds solace while hiking and receives support from other enthusiasts within the close-knit community. His first large-scale hike happened during a tough time in his life that involved a divorce and a strained relationship with his children. Ultimately, Eberhart found peace among the trails.
"You can seek peace. That doesn't mean that you're going to find it," Eberhart said near the Maine-New Hampshire border. "I persevered to the point that the good Lord looked down on me and said, 'You're forgiven, you can be at peace."
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"It's a profound blessing. It's as simple as that," he added. Eberhart was joined at the finish line with former record holder, Dale "Greybeard" Sanders, who completed the hike in 2017 at the age of 82. "My dear friend Nimblewill is taking my record away from me, and I'm happy for him. Records are made to be broken," Sanders said. Eberhart expressed his love and gratitude to those who have stood by him throughout the journey.
"Finally, to all who've supported me, to the legions who've encouraged me, and to my generous sponsors, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for this amazing journey!"
After completing the hike, Eberhart headed home to Flagg Mountain where he plans to continue serving as a caretaker of a fire tower and a set of cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.