A man who is skateboarding from Brighton to Africa for charity was had to bring his adventure to an end when all his possessions were stolen – including his passport.
Sam Allison, who is taking on the challenge of skateboarding 1,500 miles (1,400km) from Brighton to Tangier in Morocco, said his belongings were stolen while camping in France.
The 21-year-old from East Sussex said he felt “defeated” when he realised everything he had had been taken, apart from his phone and wallet.
But he refused to let the theft of his possessions stop him from continuing his 55-day journey.
Instead, he took a detour to Bordeaux in France to get an emergency travel document and buy a new bag, tent, torch, clothes and a sleeping bag.
“It is what it is. Life happens. There is nothing I can do about it,” he said in a video posted on Instagram.
“It’s just sad. I am trying to do a good thing and I have had that taken from me.”
However, there was one advantage: without his bulky rucksack he found skating much easier and joked that he was “kind of grateful”.
Some of the stolen items did have sentimental value to Mr Allison, who explained the T-shirt he was wearing when he set off was stolen and that he would struggle to afford to replace a lot of the items.
Mr Allison is taking on the challenge to raise money for the Ben Raemers foundation, a mental health charity which was set up in memory of the professional skateboarder who died age 28 by suicide in May 2019.
“I have seen and experienced what poor mental health can do for myself, friends and family and it can get dark feeling like there is no way out. So, I’m thankful for the foundation making the whole skate community and beyond more open to discussion of mental health as it’s so important,” Mr Allison wrote on a gofundme page for the trip which has raised more than £3,700.
He added: “They are also giving accessibility to skaters within the industry to focus on improving mental health and easier access to services for mental health which is truly incredible as it can feel like an uncertainty of where to turn for help in hard times.”
Mr Allison is now halfway through his skateboarding journey to Morocco, which will see him travel from Brighton through France and Spain and down to North Africa.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
