Why is this man being celebrated?

This dickhead is being celebrated on Sky News

wonder how long he will stick around in Hull?

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/c39dec75d27b5d0c

I wondered this too - along with what he was actually doing all that time in Mexico.

All that walking didnt help his waistline

I want to know how his trolley crossed seas

Isn’t this just further evidence of the pass we give to fathers that we don’t give to mothers?

All the achievements this man did are totally overshadowed by the fact he paid no child support and did nothing to stay in touch with his son. They still haven’t seen each other for twelve years. Appalling.

Wasn't there a man camped out in Parliament Square for years who had a wife and children he barely saw in Wolverhampton too? Or something?

I feel the same about Aung San Soo Kyi even though hers was a political thing.

My guess - he escaped to avoid accountability. About something. That’s why he’s nervous. But may be I’ll never know.

Something to prove to his mates. Not his son.

I’ll come!

Completely agree. Self-centred manchild.

One of my friends made me laugh when he immediately said, “the guy has paid F all tax for almost 30 years to this country but now is being celebrated as a hero.”

Sign of the times.

I would LOVE to hear his ex wife’s take on all this. And his son’s…

Tbf, almost every person who has done something extraordinary is selfish. From rockstars, to astronauts to academics to adventurers throughout history all have put their accomplishments above their family. We don’t know the ins and outs - but we’ve celebrated people who have left their family behind to achieve things for as long as human interactions have existed. We celebrate risk takers because they are the ones who che k out new things (although this is becoming less of a desirable trait and we’re valuing predictably more - most likely why adhders are suffering more)

Tbf, almost every person who has done something extraordinary is selfish. From rockstars, to astronauts to academics to adventurers throughout history all have put their accomplishments above their family

But this man doesn’t have the support of his family and hasn’t supported them through his wages and knowledge.

Compare him to Bear Grylls, Tim Peake, Mick Jagger, they did their stuff with the support of their families and didn’t abandon their children, when their adventures meant leaving their children behind for some time, they financed them and kept in touch and then returned to their children afterwards. This man hasn’t done that. He abandoned his child and for me, that is the most important part.

I've always assumed that major difference makers who cure diseases, go into space etc, must be colossal dickheads at home - it's just a given that the bigger picture is more important than an individual family.
Hobbies and glory hunters, not so much.

I can’t believe he’s being applauded and celebrated.

So would I.

I heard about an ex who went to do ‘charity work’ abroad despite having two children. I knew that he was leaving them but didn’t want his friends/family to think badly of him. The charity work didn’t last long and he never went back to them.

Selfish man. Full of ego.

What a twat! He abandoned his little boy to fanny about abroad for decades. He’s not had a proper job in 28 years and now he’s come back as a “hero” - what has he done that’s heroic? From what I can gather, he’s been messing about playing at being homeless for years in various different countries just because of some stupid rules he made up when he first started.

The comparison to Mick Jagger and other celebs is a bit much, although I do agree with the point that people who do extraordinary things tend to be selfish too. But at least Mick and other celebs have financially supported their families and have been there some of the time, they didn’t completely disappear for years.

I think his son’s comment in the Telegraph article is quite telling - he said he would never leave his child like that.

This feels a bit unfair. We all have different ways of coping.

I was a bit puzzled by the rolling coverage on Sky News of his arrival, as if this was some major news event. I hadn’t followed this story so I assumed he must have raised millions for charity or something - but apparently not. So it was pretty baffling to see them keep going back to this story for updates every few minutes.

I’ve read several endurance travelogues of people crossing continents under their own steam such as Mark Beaumont, Rosie Swales-Pope, Josie Dew or Ed Stafford. It takes a certain kind of person to undertake these trips and it’s interesting to gain an insight into what makes them tick alongside the adventures and challenges.

Karl Bushby though is such an extreme example. He’s been away for over half a lifetime and cut ties and responsibilities, fracturing relationships. Time will tell whether these can be rebuilt - or if he can settle into a conventional lifestyle. All quite a head fuck for everyone concerned I’d imagine. And then some, played out in the full media glare.

Plus, how has his ‘achievement’ benefitted anyone but himself? He hasn’t made scientific discoveries or entertained millions or raised money for charity. His adventure benefitted himself, there’s nothing there for ‘the greater good’.

I'm sure his prolonged absence really helped his wife and remaining children to cope. Did they get a choice?