A man from Swansea who set off on an adventure of self-discovery back in August, 2017, has now welcomed a new member to his coast-walking family - a baby boy.
Having previously gained a best friend in his pet canine, Jet, and later meeting the love of his life, Kate Barron, who he would later go on to become engaged to, Chris Lewis has now become dad to Magnus, who was born on May 1, weighing 8lb 14oz.
The former para initially set off solo on his effort to walk the entire UK coastline, raising money for SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. He wanted to give back to those who helped him through difficult times. He set out from Llangennith Beach in the Gower, near his home in Swansea four years ago on a journey of self-discovery after he was left "lost" and "not knowing where to turn".
But it turned out to be far from a simple journey. Chris spent lockdown on an uninhabited island, left stranded with no electricity or heating and even reunited a message in a bottle with its owner after 20 years during his time there. You can get more Swansea news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
During his time spent in Northern Ireland, he adopted a dog named Jet from a family who were struggling to keep her and thought he could use the company as he navigated the islands off the Scottish coast. In Scotland Chris met a fellow traveller who he would end up striking a close bond and relationship with. Kate Barron initially intended to travel the world but had her plans thwarted by the pandemic and ended up in Scotland where she met and fell in love with Chris. Read about the man who was found abandoned in a telephone box as a newborn baby.
After announcing the news he and Kate were expecting a new member of the family, he said: "This walk has made me the happiest man in the world"
Now, the couple have shared their new, overwhelming joy on social media. Their announcement read: “Good morning folks. So today we get to bring our little boy Magnus home. I can't wait to introduce you to him later on. Strong as an ox and absolutely beautiful. We are now officially a family.
“Have a great day all and thank you for all the kind words and comments, we really appreciate it. Now it’s time to go bring him home xxx” You can read more stories about Swansea here.
Chris has already raised more than £270,000 for SSAFA, the charity that supported him when he found himself homeless following his military service. You can find out more about Chris’ journey at justgiving.com/fundraising/chriswalks.
