Eric Borstein is known as “The Walking Man,” and for good reason.
He has Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, a rare incurable disease that causes high blood pressure in the lungs. According to the American Lung Association, the cause of the progressive disorder is “usually unknown,” and only 500 to 1,000 people are diagnosed each year in the U.S.
After collapsing at his home from massive right heart failure in 2020, Borstein was taken to a hospital where he remained in the intensive care unit for 16 days, and as he put it bluntly, “[The doctors] didn’t think I was going to leave.”
He was eventually discharged and subsequently put on what he called “very difficult” medications with side effects he found could be mitigated by walking.
Thus, “The Walking Man” was born.
Eric Borstein and his daughter pictured at the starting event for his 170-mile walk from L.A. to San Diego. (KTLA/Phil Ige)
“A mile turned into two which turned into three around the neighborhood…walking has become part of my life,” Borstein told KTLA photojournalist Phil Ige. “I now average 15 miles a day.”
Borstein is putting that 15 mile a day regimen to the test with his latest effort to raise awareness for the terminal illness that many have not heard of: by walking from L.A. to San Diego.
Only, instead of 15 miles, he’ll be covering 28 to 30 miles each day.
The 170-mile journey – which was conceived by Borstein and his daughter and began in Santa Monica on Sunday – will take about a week. It includes stops in Huntington Beach, San Clemente, Oceanside and Camp Pendleton; the Marines gave Borstein clearance to walk through the base on his trek, and they’ll even be escorting him through the grounds.
Eric Borstein pictured at the starting event for his 170-mile walk from L.A. to San Diego. (KTLA/Phil Ige)
Despite the daunting challenges he’s faced and will continue to face, Borstein remains incredibly positive about his epic quest that started simply by mustering the courage to put one foot in front of the other.
“The minute I took that first step, I was on the path to where I am today,” he said. “Living with a terminal disease, the future is uncertain, but as long as I can do this, I am going to keep doing it.”
And if you think that Borstein will be exhausted after the 170-mile journey, well, you’re right.
“I just hope someone gives me a ride back, because I will be tired,” he quipped.
The trek started four years to the day after Borstein was diagnosed. The starting event, which included a 5K walk, was well attended.
You can help raise money for Eric’s walk for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension by visiting www.whereiseb.com
More information on Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension can be found here.
Eric Borstein is known as “The Walking Man,” and for good reason. He has Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, a rare incurable disease that causes high blood pressure in the lungs. According to the American Lung Association, the cause of the progressive disorder is “usually unknown,” and only 500 to 1,000 people are diagnosed each year in […]
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