An Italian man has been nicknamed “Forrest Gump” on social media, after the character from a 1994 movie who runs across the United States. This man, 48, went for a long walk to cool off after an argument with his wife. He started in Como in the north and ended up walking 280 miles to Fano on the Adriatic coast.
However, the police stopped him at 2 AM after he broke a curfew. He received a fine of €400 (about $485) for this.
His story was first shared by a newspaper in Bologna and quickly became popular online. Many people praised him for walking to calm down instead of getting angry or violent. Some even suggested he should be rewarded instead of fined, and one person joked that he should get new shoes.
When the police found him, he was wandering along a coastal highway, feeling cold and tired. He told them he walked the whole way and met people who offered him food and drinks. On average, he walked about 60 kilometers (37 miles) each day.
After checking his ID, the police discovered that his wife had reported him missing. They contacted her, and she came to Fano to pick him up. The reports did not mention how she felt about him receiving the fine.
