Neil Sauter has held a marathon world record, appeared in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, and walked nearly 1,200 miles along Michigan’s roads. But what makes him truly unique is that he did it all on stilts.

Better known as “The Michigan Stiltwalker,” Sauter uses his talent for stilt walking to raise money for cerebral palsy awareness across Michigan.

Being born with mild cerebral palsy, Sauter qualified for a scholarship from Michigan Rehabilitation Services when applying for college. As a recipient of that scholarship, he was motivated to give back to the community in a meaningful way.

How he would give back came a few years later after an encounter with a stilt walker at a local festival. “I was told that the stilts held your legs perfectly straight,” said Sauter. “Normally my feet turn inward, making me rather clumsy. These acted a lot like the braces I used to wear.”

Sauter used his philanthropic drive and a pair of stilts to walk across Michigan. In 2008, he walked 832 miles in eight weeks from Toledo, Ohio, to Ironwood, Michigan. In 2013, he walked another 360 miles over six consecutive weekends around different parts of the state.

Treks of this magnitude coupled with the challenge of stilts would have anyone feeling skeptical. “Before that first trip, my family thought it was foolish and wouldn’t actually happen,” chuckled Sauter. “But when I kept preparing for the trip, they bought into it.”

His family was very helpful in organizing aspects of both treks, including raising money and arranging places for him to sleep and eat. His wife even walked with him some days.

The success of Sauter’s trips relied heavily on the kindness of others. When in need of a meal or a place to sleep, strangers lent him a hand. “Complete strangers invited me into their homes, or friends of friends would provide arrangements on my behalf,” he explained. “The friendliness I received was incredible.”

As he walked along, passersby would offer food, water, and even donations to the cause. “At times I had up to $1,000 in donations with me from those who saw me walking. Often these same people would take my backpack for me and deliver it to my next resting spot.”

In all the miles Sauter’s walked, one of his favorite moments was on his final approach toward Ironwood in 2008. Sauter spent that last stretch of road with Joe Bowen. Forty years earlier, Bowen walked 3,000 miles on stilts to raise money for charity.

“I really appreciated him celebrating the trip with me,” says Sauter. “It was fun to share and compare our unique experiences.”

After his last walk in 2013, Sauter stepped away from stilt walking. He took the time to be a stay-at-home dad with the birth of his son.

It wasn’t until recently that he jumped back on the stilts to entertain at festivals, fairs, and other special events, including this year’s Cherryland Annual Meeting in June.

After walking nearly 1,200 miles solo and raising more than $90,000, Sauter sees another trip in his future, but not alone. “Perhaps, when my son is a teenager, I will pursue something similar with him,” said Sauter. “But for right now, I am very happy spending most of my time with my son and wife at home.”