CHICAGO (WLS) — In August 2024, Joabe Barbosa set out on an ambitious goal: to run every single street in Chicago.
After 680 days, Barbosa finished the challenge one week ago, collecting countless moments of generosity from Chicago residents along the way.
His route took him through neighborhoods some had warned him to avoid, while his journey steadily attracted a loyal audience on social media.
By the time he reached the final stretch, hundreds of supporters turned out to run alongside him.
Barbosa said running was not always his sport of choice; for years, he was more focused on soccer.
He began running after an accident on Mt. Washington in New Hampshire left him with hypothermia and frostbite.
Doctors recommended running as a way to strengthen his circulation and aid his recovery.
Today, Barbosa calls the Loop home.
“I just thought I just want to get out of my comfort zone. Because a lot of people were telling me when when I started this like ‘oh, you shouldn’t go to certain neighborhoods in Chicago. You certainly shouldn’t go to certain neighborhoods at night.’ And so, it was like of like me being stubborn,” he said.
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Despite the warnings, he ran and discovered something very different: “everywhere I’ve gone, people have been so, so nice to me. I’ve been treated so, so well by everyone.”
Barbosa says people offered him water, invited him to their homes and even fed him.
“My perspective on Chicago has definitely changed. And one thing that I told myself after all the interactions I’ve had, you can hear a thousand stories, but just one experience can change everything,” he said.
One of his best experiences happened in Englewood. He met a man named Jerome while running at night.
He gave Barbosa his phone number and called at the end of the run to make sure he was okay.
The two have kept in touch.
Another memorable experience was an encounter with a 7-year-old boy named Bryce whose dream was to go viral. A video of the two of them attracted a lot of views.
Now that he’s done, Barbosa says “I was sad I finished. But happy I finished.”
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