Homeless veteran walks Route 12 every day to reconnect with world

Mar. 28—CLAYTON — Andy C. Fyles had his business, career, house, money and dog stripped from him and replaced with sneakers, but he hasn't quit his pursuit of inspiring others.

Anyone who drives regularly on Route 12 toward Clayton has likely seen Mr. Fyles walking alongside the road. He's always wearing a yellow safety jacket and classic Nike sneakers. He's got his white earbuds in, usually playing frequencies like white noise. His walking speed is just slower than a pace that would indicate he's exercising, and he smiles and waves at cars that pass by at 55 mph or more.

He walks on Route 12 for at least five hours every day. His prime real estate is between Gunns Corners and Depauville, but he's walked to Watertown and to the village of Clayton on several occasions. In rain, snow or sun, he walks.

"I don't want to be some kind of martyr," he said. "I'm just on a journey, but it all went down in a very unique fashion."

He's been homeless for nearly eight years now. He has a few places where he walks off Route 12 and sleeps in the woods.

"You can't start a fire in these places because the smoke would give you away," he said.

He'll sleep in shanties along County Route 180, or in a garage owned by a neighbor on Route 12. People who live along the road leave food in fridges for him to take. People driving by have given him hand warmers during the holidays, shoes and so many offers for a ride. The yellow safety jacket was given to him by a passerby.

He's always hovering around the County Route 180-Gunns Corners, area because it's where his home was, and now he's somewhat hovering around where he thought he was going to end up.

Mr. Fyles grew up in Dexter and enlisted in the Air Force. When he got out, he opened a martial arts business in Watertown. It was called Aikido School of Self Defense before being renamed to Empire Family Martial Arts. He trained anyone at least 5 years old for decades. He frequently worked with youth groups or the Disabled Persons Action Organization.

About eight years ago, when it came time to retire, he had believed he did everything right. He had a house on County Route 180 and was ready to kick his feet up.

"I set myself up in a way that I think every person is supposed to set themselves up," he said. "You got it all, and then a piece of loyalty slips out from underneath you, and then everything you have seems to go along in that direction."

Some financial deals went south and Mr. Fyles began losing his retirement. Once his financial security went away, everything else followed.

Mr. Fyles said he's a man of resolve who takes action, evidenced by his history in the military and operating a martial arts school. But this time, he watched as it all washed away. His home was repossessed, he lost the business and his dog died within months. He said he remembers one defining night. It was 40 degrees below zero and he was sitting outside his house. The heat had been turned off.

What could have been the scene of a villain origin story, Mr. Fyles turned it into something different.

When everything was stripped from him, he almost felt helpless in his fight to stop it. He believes he didn't take action then, so walking every day reminds him he still won't quit. He'll continue to walk, to not ask for favors and show the world he's out there on Route 12.

He also walks to prove that he can reenter a world he hardly knew. He said being in the military and heading straight to martial arts training has made him feel detached from the rest of the population. He said he hasn't been part of the world for most of his life, so waving and walking on Route 12 has been his way of reconnecting with people.

Lastly, he walks in ultimate protest of the world, saying that no matter how much is taken from him, he's still going to keep fighting. And he walks like Forrest Gump ran, to rid himself of that heartbreak.

He loves conversation, or a simple wave. He takes comfort in that connection, and he hopes his engagement with the world is inspiring to others.

"People drive by and they're going to work sometimes or they're coming home from a stressful day," he said. "And when they see me, they don't know what I'm saying inside, and that is, 'I love you. It's all going to be OK.' So what do I do when I walk? I wave to people."

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