Fighting off wild dogs to taming donkey: 10-year-old boy walks from Sicily to London to give his grandma a hug

Romeo Cox embarked on this adventerous journey along with his father.

Updated on: Oct 3, 2020, 18:46:06 IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By Trisha Sengupta

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The Internet is filled with all kinds of stories. Some stories make you laugh, some make you cry, and then there are some that leave you overwhelmed with emotions. Just like the story of a 10-year-old boy named Romeo Cox who, along with his father, walked from Sicily in Italy to London in the UK. Why, you ask? He embarked on this adventurous journey just so that he could meet his grandmother and give her a hug.

The image shows the 10-year-old boy named Romeo Cox. (Instagram/@romeos_big_journey_home)

The boy also gave the world a glimpse of his journey through Instagram. A link given in his bio also details that besides meeting his grandmother he also took the journey for another reason. “I’m walking 2800km to support refugees my age for Refugee Education Across Conflicts Trust because we should all get an equal chance to study & live!” it says.

He shared several videos and images which detail what he saw and the people that he meet. And to say that the tale is wonderful is surely an understatement.

The image shows Romeo Cox. (Instagram/@romeos_big_journey_home)

What is even more exciting is that his arduous journey was not only restricted to meeting new people. He also went on boat journeys and participated in jam sessions. Not just that. Turns out, he also fought off wild dogs, tamed a grumpy donkey and even got bloody feet while walking. However, what is truly heartening is that he never gave up.

“We got lost a few times. We slept under a wasp nest which wasn’t a good idea, got bloody feet, but we never thought about giving up,” he told Daily Mail.

Here is a post giving a glimpse of him riding on a boat:

View this post on Instagram

Last night me and Dad were given space on the sail boat Cyclades leaving Sicily to Agropoli! Very exciting and I saw in the dawn, with captain Andrea and his crew. Dad got sea sick 😂😂😂but not me! Very special kind people Giuseppe Marino and his Captain son Andrea made this possible with the magic help of La Capitana Donatella Alibrandi and of Riccardo Bonomolo and Serena Ferraiolo! In Mainland Italy at last. Campsite now and then 2100km to go to London and Granny🤪🤪💥💪🏽👣👣 Ieri sera io e papà abbiamo avuto spazio sulla barca a vela Cyclades che lasciava la Sicilia per Agropoli! Molto emozionante e ho visto all'alba, con il capitano Andrea e il suo crew. Papa' ha avuto il mal di mare ma non io! 😂😂Il passaggio in vela e' stato possibile grazie al fantastico aiuto di Giuseppe Marino e il figlio capitano Andrea e alla magia della Capitana Donatella Alibrandi, di Riccardo Bonomolo e Serena Ferraiolo! dalla Sicilia! Campeggio ora e poi ancora 2100km da percorrere e la Nonna🤪🤪💥💪🏽👣👣

A post shared by Romeo Cox (@romeos_big_journey_home) on Jul 1, 2020 at 6:30am PDT

Check out this fun video of the boy dancing to the hit number Gangnam Style:

View this post on Instagram

💥🌈😃Because London is close and I had eggs for breakfast! Good morning everyone! 💥🌈😃Perché Londra è vicina e ho mangiato uova per colazione! Buongiorno a tutti! #romeosbigjourney #viafrancigena #helpredugees #fatherandson

A post shared by Romeo Cox (@romeos_big_journey_home) on Sep 17, 2020 at 1:00am PDT

The youngster arrived at Trafalgar Square in London on September 21, having made the 2,800km journey. He is now in quarantine before he meets his grandmother.

“I can’t wait to give her a cuddle, it’s been over a year since I last saw her. She was all alone during lockdown,” he said. Well, we too will wait for him to update us about the hug for which he crossed thousands of kilometers.

He was also invited to the House of Lords to enjoy some cake with Lord Alf Dubs. In a post, Romeo gave details about that too.

View this post on Instagram

(Scrollate giù per l'italiano!) 🇬🇧🙂I have been invited to the House of Lords for cake with Lord Dubs! He was a child who escaped the Nazis in 1939 on the special Kindertransport train and given asylum in Britain. He wrote me a letter ❤️: "Romeo, I found your story truly inspirational. Your grandmother is lucky to have such a determined and dedicated grandson. Amazing to have walked that far, dealt with wild dogs and grumpy donkeys and met so many extraordinary people on your way. What impressed me most, though, was your humanity and empathy; quite extraordinary qualities in someone as young as you. You are dead right that it seems unfair that you can be reunited with your family here and someone else can't, just because of where they were born. We agree on that and I suspect on a lot else besides. Thank you for your super human efforts on behalf of refugees."Alf Dubs 🌈 🇮🇹 🙂Sono stato invitato alla Camera dei Lord per mangiare una torta con Lord Dubs! Da bambino fuggì i nazisti nel 1939 sul treno speciale Kindertransport, un treno per sfuggire al regime ed arrivare in Gran Bretagna, dove ricevette asilo. Mi ha scritto una lettera❤️: "Romeo, ho trovato la tua storia davvero stimolante. Tua nonna è fortunata ad avere un nipote così determinato e dedicato. Incredibile di aver camminato così lontano, aver avuto a che fare con cani selvatici e asini scontrosi e aver incontrato così tante persone straordinarie sulla tua strada. Ciò che mi ha colpito di più, però, è stata la tua umanità ed empatia; qualità davvero straordinarie in qualcuno giovane come te. Hai assolutamente ragione sul fatto che sembra ingiusto che tu possa riunirti con la tua famiglia qui e qualcun altro no, solo a causa del luogo in cui sono nati. Siamo d'accordo su questo e sospetto su molto altro ancora. Grazie per i vostri sforzi super umani a favore dei rifugiati ". Alf Dubs #romeosbigjourney #safepassage #helprefugees

A post shared by Romeo Cox (@romeos_big_journey_home) on Oct 2, 2020 at 10:41am PDT

What do you think of this wonderful boy and his journey?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trisha Sengupta
Trisha Sengupta works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.Read More