The uncle of Makiya Wilson is back in DC after walking 153 miles in her memory. The 10-year-old girl was shot and killed in Northeast, D.C. just outside her home.
Her uncle, Mike D’Angelo, set out for his walk on Monday morning. The rapper documented his trip on Instagram, sharing it with this 23,000 followers.
The 46-hour journey ended up taking three days after police rerouted him off the highway for safety reason, but in those neighborhoods he met inspiring people, who hugged him, prayed with him, sang for him and signed his T-shirt.
“We all breathe the same air. It’s up to us to decide what we use with our air,” he said. “Let’s stop polluting each other. Let’s cleanse ourselves and let’s put that back into each other. Let’s spread love. Let’s share love.”
WUSA9’s Delia Gonçalves spoke to D’Angelo on Skype after his exhausting journey where he suffered blisters, foot, back and knee pain.
“That’s why I wore the New Balances because they’re significant to our city but I want to bring a new balance to our world. We got to fix this. We have to straighten some things out, we have to get uncomfortable. Everybody should be outraged,” he said.
D’Angelo said he only made two stops to rest, eat, and take care of his injuries before hitting the road again.
He arrived in Philadelphia, where a friend was recently killed, on Wednesday evening making a dramatic and triumphant jog up Philly’s iconic Rocky Steps.
“I will walk this country, I don’t care if it takes my life. I will walk until we stand and walk together,” he said.
D’Angelo said his mission is not over. He plans to head to San Francisco, Cali. where he will walk the bridge to Oakland where 18-year-old Nia Wilson was killed last week.
