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Spotlights » Tim Keenan, '80
Tim Keenan, '80 will tell you "I didn't think I could cut it in school." But the graduation year behind his name and his ability to overcome some of his biggest fears will tell you otherwise.
At 20 years old, Keenan was drafted to leave his hometown of Grand Rapids to serve on the front lines of the Vietnam War. When he returned to the United States, he saw the world much differently. He carried the burden of battle and lived with post-traumatic stress disorder. After working odd jobs without much fulfillment, Keenan decided he wanted to further his education. At the age of 30, he enrolled in William James College, a division of Grand Valley State College at the time (formerly located in what is now Lake Michigan Hall).
"The professors at Grand Valley welcomed me and treated me with dignity," said Keenan. "I learned so much about myself and to this day I carry those lessons with me, about how to treat people with respect."
His lessons in respect guided his career path where he put his sociology degree to work and became one of the founders of a community corrections program. The program is now utilized in three counties in northern Michigan, including Grand Traverse County.
"I would help give non-violent offenders alternatives to jail and prison. I worked closely with the judges and created plans for the inmates. I know I helped so many people help themselves," said Keenan.
Keenan has assisted countless inmates with the transition back into meaningful, functioning roles in society. He served the Community Corrections Division for more than 25 years before retiring and seeking out his next journey - a 172 day, 2,178.3 mile journey - to the summit of the Appalachian Trail. Keenan had long suffered from war PTSD and a fear of being in the woods alone. In fact, the last time he had been back-packing was in Vietnam amidst gunfire and bombings. To hike the Appalachian Trail was his chance to confront his anxieties.
On March 28, 2009, his son dropped him off at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail in Georgia. He adopted the trail name "Naneek" (Keenan spelled backwards) and started on an almost six month journey. Most of his days were spent in complete solitude, which gave him ample opportunity to reflect.
"I thought about the simplicity of life. You don't need a different pair of shoes for every day and you don't need all these ties to wear. You need food, water and warmth."
After a week on the trail, Keenan admits, he wanted to leave his pack behind and head back into civilization, but taking advice from another hiker, he promised himself he would hike at least thirty days. He says it was the "trail angels" that helped keep his spirits up along the way.
"Several people offered a place to stay, home-cooked meals. People would leave coolers with food, soda, maps and weather reports," said Keenan.
On September 18, 2009, after 172 days of clashing with rain, sleet, cold, heat, fatigue, bears, wild boars, and loneliness, Keenan reached the summit. He was completely overwhelmed.
"I looked through the fog and mist and saw the sign of the end that I had been thinking about for 6 months. I started crying. I was overcome with emotion and then I thought, now what?"
One in ten people will complete the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, but Keenan says beating the odds isn't what makes him proud of the accomplishment. It's knowing that he had faced and conquered one of his most significant fears.
"In life we go through stormy times. If we weather the storm and learn from it, the sun will shine on us eventually. I think about Vietnam every day but now I've now replaced a lot of my thoughts of war with hiking."
On his journey, Keenan raised more than $9,000 for a college scholarship fund for children and grandchildren of veterans and victims of domestic violence. He still keeps in touch with several friends he met on the trail. Keenan has four children and he and his dog Benham go most places together. He spends a lot of time at his second home in Sayulita, Mexico, and he hopes to one day write a book about his adventures of war, trail and life.
Updated May 2012.
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