Viral Oregon man who quit his job to set sail with his cat arrives to cheering fans in Hawaii after weekslong journey

An Oregon man who discontinue his occupation astatine a tyre institution and liquidated his status savings to group sail for Hawaii pinch his cat, Phoenix, reached his destination Saturday, welcomed by cheering fans astatine nan extremity of a weekslong travel that he documented for his wide of followers connected societal media.

Oliver Widger, who besides was greeted by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green astatine nan Waikiki Yacht Club connected Oahu, acknowledged he was tense facing nan crowd, which included reporters.

Widger said he was emotion “really weird” — not seasick, but, “I conscionable consciousness for illustration I person to, like, clasp connected to things to not autumn over.”

He became an online sensation pinch his story, which followed a test 4 years agone pinch a syndrome that carried a consequence of paralysis and made him recognize he disliked his managerial job.

He discontinue his occupation pinch “no money, nary plan” and $10,000 of indebtedness — and nan extremity of buying a sailboat and sailing astir nan world.

He taught himself to sail mostly via YouTube and moved from Portland to nan Oregon coast.

He spent months refitting nan $50,000 vessel he bought.

He group sail for Hawaii pinch Phoenix successful precocious April, documenting their experiences for his much than 1 cardinal followers connected TikTok and 1.7 cardinal followers connected Instagram.

He said he thinks his story, which made nationalist news, resonated pinch people.

“I deliberation a batch of group are, you know, you’re grinding astatine your occupation each time agelong and it doesn’t really matter really overmuch money you make astatine this point, everybody’s conscionable trying to do capable to get by and that conscionable wears you out,” he said. “It’s conscionable nan world’s successful a weird place, and I deliberation group person seen that it’s imaginable to break out.”

Green presented Widger pinch a proclamation.

Fans swarmed Widger aft nan news conference, galore holding cameras and seeking selfies.

The scariest constituent of nan travel came erstwhile a rudder failed, Widger said. Highlights included seeing dolphins and whales and periods of calm Pacific waters.

“Being successful nan mediate of nan water erstwhile it was wholly solid successful each guidance was an absurd feeling,” he said.

Widger, 29, said he ne'er genuinely felt alone, since he was communicating pinch friends by intends including video conference.

But he besides lamented not experiencing nan unfastened waters successful a measurement that different sailors — who didn’t person entree to devices for illustration Starlink net satellites — person successful years before.

He said he whitethorn recreation adjacent to French Polynesia.

But he said he had been focused connected getting to Hawaii and not connected what he’d do aft that. He said he besides needs to make repairs to his boat.