Bulletin: Teen's walking trip delayed by sister's injury

By Jen Horton
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Jun 26, 2009 - 8:57:21am

David Ashby said the only thing that would make him stop walking would be a tornado, a hurricane or severe lightning. He said he had no intention of getting off the road because of heat or rain.

The 14-year-old who is walking from Orlando to Washington, D.C., to bring attention to the plight of the homeless wasn't thinking about a family emergency.

He did break his stride Tuesday evening, when he and his mother got word his little sister had been injured.

Aubrey Ashby, 10, is at the University of Virginia hospital after a serious bicycle accident near the home of a relative she was staying with, Volusia County Council Member Andy Kelly reported.

Kelly was escorting David Ashby out of DeLand when the family got the news.

Ashby and his mother, Alison Ashby, jumped in the family van and raced to Virginia to be with Aubrey.

"He was very reluctant to go, but quick to realize this is an emergency," Kelly said.

While David was visiting homeless people in DeLand Tuesday, Kelly said, a homeless man known as Rain made David a bead bracelet.

David loved the bracelet so much he left it on the counter at Interfaith Kitchen with a note explaining "this guarantees I'll come back to DeLand to pick up where I left off with my walk."

Kelly received word Wednesday morning that Aubrey is stable.

"Our prayers are with Aubrey and the family," Kelly said. "They're a great family."

— jen@beacononlinenews.com

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