Member-only story
The Old Man Who Drove 390km to Visit His Dying Brother on a 5mph Lawn Mower
The 5 hour car journey took 6 weeks on the mower ridden by the 73 year old.
If I wanted to visit my sister today, I could jump in the car, drive the 400km, and be there this afternoon. But I have a car, and I’m not a 73-year-old man with health issues, so it’s easy for me.
It wasn’t that easy for Alvin Straight, but he went anyway. His brother was dying and it was his last chance. His only vehicle was his lawnmower, with a top speed of 5mph, or 8kph. The journey from Iowa to Wisconsin would take him six weeks. And it wasn’t without mishap.
Humans are amazing, aren’t they?
Alvin and Henry
Alvin Straight was no stranger to difficulty. At 73, he suffered from various health conditions including diabetes and lung problems, and had served in the US Army in Korea. Because of his failing eyesight, he wasn’t allowed to drive a car. His brother, Henry, lived 390km away in Wisconsin.
Henry was 80 when he suffered a stroke, and no one was sure if he’d pull through. The days after a stroke can always be precarious, so Alvin did all he could to get there. But with no car, his only option was his 30-year old lawnmower, and a trailer on the back…
