Fat Guy Across America, Eric Hites, has now raised $12,652 on GoFundMe.com/FatGuy2015. He’s also got his wife back who is now riding with him and he’s lost over 70 pounds and apparently is inspiring people around the world. Eric has received 432 individual donations so far.

Todd Branston while donating $20 stated, “You’re a rockstar. I believe in you. When people hate on you, just remind him that you have so much more to show them”. Kyle Kiang donated $5 and wrote, “Just read about this in NYT while in Ireland, good job Eric, good inspiration for all of us”. Illustrating the worldwide reach of Eric’s story, Ross Macdonald donated $17 and quipped, “Well done from Australia, Eric!”

Eric plans to write a book when he completes is journey across America in order to inspire others. For now he’s chronicling his bike ride on his FatGuyAcrossAmerica Facebook Page. Today Eric plans to run up the 72 “Rocky” steps that perfectly illustrate his story. Quoting Rocky Balboa Eric posts, “Cause all I wanna do is go the distance…and if I can go that distance, you see, and that bell rings and I’m still standin’, I’m gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren’t just another bum from the neighborhood.”