100-year-old vet embarks on walk for homeless veterans
Tom Hennessy, a retired Air Force veteran and World War II Spitfire pilot was looking for a cause to mark his 100th birthday in May.
“I was reading a magazine two months ago, and it was about homeless veterans. And the very last line said, and so we've got to do something,” Hennessy said during a break from the charity kick off. “I said to Joy, my partner, ‘Joy, I got it. Now I know what I can do for 100 years is I can go and do a walk and raise money for homeless veterans.’”
Hennessy exercises daily and started with a goal of 100km, but after quickly reaching that goal, he checked in with his friends at the legion and told them he was going to up the goal to 100 miles (160km), and plans to finish his journey on Canada day.
On Tuesday, he logged some of those kilometers while looping around Victoria Park, joined alongside London North Centre NDP MPP Terence Kernaghan, London Deputy Mayor Josh Morgan and other members of the public.
WWII Air Force veteran Tom Hennessy begins his walk around Victoria Park alongside London North Centre NDP MPP Terence Kernaghan, London Deputy Mayor Josh Morgan, and other members of the public on on June 14, 2022. Hennessy is raising money for homeless veterans. (Marek Sutherland/CTV News London)
“It's about 95 miles now. The last walk around here [Victoria Park] on Friday of Canada Day that will put it all into the 100. So we want to bag it on that day,” Hennessy said.
The fundraiser has already raised $12,000 as of Tuesday morning, before the official start of the campaign.
But there is no specific goal he would like to reach other than getting as much help for homeless Veterans as possible.
To learn more and to donate to Hennessy’s cause, you can visit his GoFundMe page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Federal minimum wage, taxes on alcohol: Here's what's changing in Canada April 1
The federal minimum wage is increasing from $15.55 per hour to $16.65, and taxes are going up on gas and alcohol nationwide starting April 1.

Akwesasne: Two more bodies found in St. Lawrence River, bring total dead to eight
Police say the bodies of eight migrants have been retrieved from the waters off the Mohawk Territory of Akwesasne, straddling the Canada - U.S. border. The people whose bodies were recovered Thursday and Friday consisted of two families of Romanian and Indian origins who were likely trying to enter the U.S. illegally, police said Friday.
Trudeau defends appointment of cabinet minister's sister-in-law as interim ethics commissioner
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending the appointment of senior Liberal cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc's sister-in-law as Canada's interim ethics commissioner.
Gwyneth Paltrow scores court win that means more than her $1 countersuit
Gwyneth Paltrow 's motivation to go to trial to fight a lawsuit accusing her of sending a fellow skier “absolutely flying” at a posh Utah ski resort in 2016 was about vindication. She got it when a jury found her not at fault in the collision, granting her exactly the $1 she sought in her countersuit
The Laundress issues new recall after carcinogen found in fabric conditioners
Luxury detergent brand The Laundress has announced another recall of its products after discovering a known carcinogen in its line of fabric conditioners.
A 106-year-old from the Philippines is Vogue's oldest ever cover model
Vogue Philippines has revealed Apo Whang-Od as the cover star of its April issue, a move that makes the 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines the oldest person ever to appear on the front of Vogue.
'Rust' set manager convicted in death of cinematographer
Dave Halls, first assistant director on Western "Rust, was sentenced on Friday for the on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, marking the first conviction for the 2021 fatality which shook Hollywood.
Andrew Tate to leave Romanian jail, put under house arrest
Andrew Tate, the divisive internet personality who has spent months in a Romanian jail on suspicion of organized crime and human trafficking, has won an appeal to replace his detention with house arrest, an official said Friday.
Trump to be arraigned Tuesday to face New York indictment
Former U.S. President Donald Trump will be arraigned Tuesday after his indictment in New York City, court officials said Friday, his formal surrender and arrest presenting the historic, shocking scene of a former U.S. commander in chief forced to stand before a judge.