LANCASTER CO., PA \u2014 Skyler King is skateboarding more than 1,000 miles from Mississippi to New York City, but it’s not about sightseeing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m raising awareness for mental health and suicide prevention,\u201d King said.<\/p>\n
King\u2019s trip comes more than two years after his brother, Justin, took his own life. He said skateboarding has long been part of his life because of his brother.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grew up skating, and my brother got me into it. So, I\u2019ve stuck to it. Skateboarding means a lot to me, and I can\u2019t thank him enough for introducing me to it,\u201d King said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019d be right alongside me. He\u2019d be super stoked. Or if he wasn\u2019t here, he\u2019d be jealous,\u201d King said when asked what he thinks his brother would say if he knew he was doing this today. <\/p>\n
He said the journey requires constant attention to what\u2019s ahead of him on the road.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to be fully focused on what\u2019s on the road, like looking for cracks and rocks and cars and people and now, like, horse poop and stuff,\u201d King said.<\/p>\n
Despite the challenges, King said the trip has been about connecting with people he meets along the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cShared a lot of hugs and tears with strangers. So that\u2019s been quite the experience and much needed on both ends because, you know, it\u2019s pretty lonely out on the road,\u201d King said.<\/p>\n