Ginger Shoji has spent the last 15 years walking around Revelstoke.
On Friday morning, the cancer survivor completed her goal of walking the equivalent of crossing Canada surrounded by friends, supporters and the students from Begbie View Elementary.
The crowd met in Grizzly Plaza and had a police escort while they walked together down Mackenzie Avenue to Begbie View Elementary.
There, Shoji spoke to the students about why she took 12,265,061 steps over 7,281 kilometres in almost 2,000 hours.
“I did it because I can,” she said. “There are so many people out there that are sick, they’re fighting for their lives, they’re going through treatments. I’m honouring them by walking for them.
“If you really believe in something and want to do something about it, miracles can happen,” she continued. “You’re all part of my journey and I’m so lucky and grateful to have you in my life.”
“There were days I didn’t want to get out of bed,” she told the students. “I would go because of you. You motivated me to keep on going. When times were tough, you were my inspiration.”
“When you’re going through tough times, I want you to look in the mirror and at smile at yourself,” she said. “Say, ‘I believe in you.’”
“Eventually you’ll start believing in yourself.”
She finished by getting the students to shout out “We did it!” in unison.