Support Jacob's Journey of Strength and Discovery

Hi, my name is Jacob, and I’m a high school student from a small town in North Carolina. I’ve always dreamed of seeing the world not from behind a screen, but with my own eyes. And now, I’m ready to take the biggest step of my life: backpacking across Europe and Asia for six months, discovering beauty, culture, and history while I still have the youth, strength, and freedom to do it.

This journey isn’t just a vacation — it’s a personal mission. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at 15, and for a while, I felt weak, small, and defeated. But instead of giving up, I rebuilt myself — in the gym, in my mind, and in my heart. I started training, eating better, getting stronger, and pushing past my limits. This trip is a continuation of that same fight — proof to myself that I can live boldly, even with struggles most people don’t see.

I’m not running away from my future — I still plan to go to college, hopefully to Duke University, and pursue my education seriously. But I know that once life speeds up — with tuition, work, responsibility — this opportunity may never come again. And I don’t want to live with regret wondering what it would’ve been like to chase this while I still could.

I plan to:

• Visit 20+ countries, from France to China

• Camp in the Alps, walk the Great Wall, explore ancient cities in Greece and Turkey

• Stay in hostels, travel by train, and meet people from around the world

• Share it all on social media to inspire other young people with big dreams and small means

But I can’t do it alone. That’s why I’m asking for your help.

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What Your Support Helps Me With:

• $10 = Hostel night

• $20 = Full day of food

• $50 = Train across a country

• $100 = Camping gear or emergency coverage

• $300 = One month of travel expenses

Even a small donation would mean the world to me, literally. Every step I take, every sunset I watch from a new corner of the earth, will be thanks to people like you who believed in me.

If you can’t give, just sharing this would mean a lot. Thank you for reading, for caring, and for helping me chase this while I still can.

— Jacob