Kauai man makes 70-mile walk around island to raise awareness about youth drug addiction

KAUAI, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - A Kauai CrossFit athlete who is no stranger to grueling and grinding workouts says a walk ― albeit an extremely long one ― is now the hardest physical task he’s ever had to take on.

Aaron Hoff said he was recovering Monday after completing a 70-mile circle around Kauai to raise money and awareness to help young people who struggling with drug addiction.

Hoff says his journey, which began Friday and ended Sunday, said the walk was symbolic of his own battle with addiction in his youth.

“I was strung out on meth, suicidal, and there were people who basically walked me back,” Hoff said. “They held my hand and walked me back.”

Hoff says he’s been clean and sober for 24 years now.

Fifteen people began the walk, which raised more than $100,000 for the Keala Foundation, with Hoff at 5 a.m. Friday morning in Kekaha. Only nine people were able to finish.

Despite all the pain, Hoff says he was able to sprint the walk’s final mile to the Hanalei Pier.

“I have a hard time receiving help from people, but I’ve embraced every single bit of it this whole walk, it was beautiful,” said Hoff, speaking to Hawaii News Now on Monday. “There was so many ‘worst’ things, you can’t just pin one down. The whole way was the worst part pain-wise.”

In addition to peanut butter sandwiches along the way that were provided by friends, family and strangers, Hoff says the idea of completing small goals ― like getting to the next light post ― helped him finish.

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