NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — One man shows up at doors completely unannounced. When people learn what's brought him there, it's nothing but pure amazement.
"I get super nervous," said Jonny Beardmore approaching a house in Nashville. "Is anybody going to be home? Are they going to be friendly?"
The people who live at the home didn't know Jonny's coming by. They don't know Jonny at all.
"I don't think they're here," Jonny said, knocking at the door.
Jonny began checking with neighbors. He wasn't giving up. He'd come way too far for that.
Let's catch you up. There's something called Post Office Bay in the Galapagos Islands. People drop off letters for someone in a barrel box. Visitors can later take a letter and perhaps hand deliver it to the person it's meant to get to.
"Postman always delivers, never stops!" Jonny shouted, darting across a yard.
Jonny, a man from New Zealand, has taken 50 letters from that post office. Since March, he's been doing what he calls the Galapagos Postman Challenge. He's been hand delivering the letters all over the world, South America to Antarctica.
"The plan is to go to all seven continents," Jonny said.
Wednesday, Jonny carried a postcard through a Nashville neighborhood. Some grandparents left it at Post Office Bay to go to their young grandson in Nashville, Milo.
Here's the thing about Jonny; somthing about him makes everyone want to get up and jump in.
"Thanks very much for helping out," Jonny said to neighbors Kurt and Amanda, the three of them walking house-to-house trying to get a number for Milo's family.
"I guess you don't know too many Kiwi postmen rocking up in these parts!" Jonny laughed.
The adventure is, in part, a tribute to Jonny's father who died with ALS.
"Once he passed I wanted to do something in his memory," Jonny said.
Amanda got a number for Milo's family. No one immediately picked up. She texted a message.
It was getting late. The hope to get to meet Milo's family Wednesday was getting colder.
Responding to Amanda's message, a car pulled up to the house. Jonny walked over and introduced himself.
"I've been to South America, Central America, Antarctica, and now North America," he said. "I've come all the way from the Galapagos Islands to bring you a letter."
A postcard to the family of Lauren, Dejan, and child Milo had finally gotten home.
"Well, welcome!" Lauren said, stunned by Jonny. "A postcard?! That's amazing. I'm Lauren!"
"I know who you guys are!" Jonny smiled. "I've been imagining who you are for months now."
"All of my journeys, all the commonality is people and connections, and I love doing that," Jonny explained.
Jonny is continuing his stops all over the world. Along the way, he's also raising money for motor neurone disease charities. You can donate through Jonny here.
You can also track Jonny's journey on Instagram at @bigoadventures.
I LOVE Forrest's stories on the history of NewsChannel 5 as we celebrate our 70th anniversary. Here's a story I wasn't familiar with until recently. Eudora Boxley had a live cooking show in the early days of the station. She may have been the first black on air at NewsChannel 5 and perhaps, one of the first African Americans to have a TV cooking show anywhere in the country. It wasn't until her grandson reached out to me that I even heard of Ms. Boxley. Thankfully, I was able to connect him with Forest to learn more about this great nugget in NewsChannel 5 history.
-Lelan Statom
