Upon arriving in London, Romeo and his father had to complete a mandatory 14-day coronavirus quarantine before they could finally visit Rosemary in Witney, Oxfordshire. When the moment finally arrived, Romeo describes running toward her house for what he called "the best hug ever".
: They endured sore, bloody feet and slept under the stars, once even accidentally pitching their camp under a wasp nest. Upon arriving in London, Romeo and his father
: The duo had to fend off feral dogs and befriended a wild donkey they named Pedro. : The duo had to fend off feral
Setting off on June 20, 2020, Romeo was accompanied by his father, Phil Cox, a journalist with experience in conflict zones. Their 93-day trek took them through Italy, Switzerland, and France. The journey was far from a simple hike; they faced numerous obstacles, including: The journey was far from a simple hike;
: They got lost several times while traversing mountains and forests.
Romeo’s journey was not only a personal quest but also a mission of advocacy. Inspired by his friend Randolph—a refugee who had walked even further from Ghana to Italy—Romeo used his trek to raise awareness and funds for the Refugee Education Across Conflicts Trust . By the end of his journey, he had raised over £13,000 (more than $18,000) for the charity.
The COVID-19 pandemic imposed a physical distance between families that many found unbearable. For Romeo Cox, living in Sicily, the cancellation of flights meant he could no longer visit his 77-year-old grandmother in the United Kingdom. Determined to see her, he proposed a radical solution: he would walk the entire distance.
