The Walking Dude

Paul and I have been going to Mexico for the last four years now. One of the things that has been a constant has been the "walking dude". We first encountered this guy on our second visit to Platanitos. We had rented a car and were driving from Puerto Vallerta. It was late at night and very dark, we were getting close to our home which was under construction at the time. All of sudden out of no where this dude jumps out of no where and we almost hit him. Holy shit did it freak us out. We swore at that very moment that we would never again drive that road at 11 at night.
Well we kept true to our word, but it would not be our last encounter with "the walking dude". We learned through the years this guy would do nothing but walk. He walked every day, all day. He walked till his clothes were thread barren and his shoes (if he was wearing any) were worn off. We learned that he was taken care of by the people of the villages. They provided him with food wrapped in bundles, food in foil and sometimes water to wash himself. Everyone knew he was "sick" but they also knew that he did not hurt anyone, he just walked. He slept where he could and ate what he found. We learned that we felt sorry for him, we brought him clothes and shoes, we worried that someone would hurt him or he would hurt someone. It was an odd to know nothing and yet know so much about someone you just called "the walking dude".
Today we got word that the "walking dude" had been hit by a car and died. We knew someday it would happen. We knew that four years ago on that dark road. But knowing it and it happening seem to be two different things. We will keep his family in our prayers, and hope his life had some happiness in it.