Movie star and owner of Wrexham AFC Ryan Reynolds has sent a message of support to hiker Paul Edwards as he treks across America for us.

Paul, from the Wrexham area, started his trek from California to South Carolina with the aim of raising about £15,000.

But he was left speechless when a notification dropped on his phone from Ryan Reynolds.

“I was having a coffee outside a petrol station when my GPS watch, which is linked to my phone, buzzed with a notification,” said Paul.

“I glanced and it showed Ryan Reynolds on the screen and I assumed it was a Twitter post, then I read the message and it started with ‘Hi Paul’, I thought it was someone messing around but we had a quick chat about Wrexham FC. The fact that he messaged me is awesome, plus he is now following me on Instagram.”

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Keeping in touch

Ryan also offered to provide Paul with a free phone so he could keep in touch with everyone back home in Wrexham saying: “I can imagine how essential it is to be in touch in touch with the folks back home. Particularly the boys at The Turf.”

This is not the first trek Paul has done for us and many will remember him walking from John O’Groats to Land’s End last year dressed head-to-toe as Marvel character Deadpool, Ryan Reynold’s Marvel movie character, following his beloved Wrexham AFC’s purchase by the actor and his counterpart Rob McElhenney. He raised more than £16,000 for us during that epic challenge.

Paul has already conquered California and is currently in Arizona on a 3,000-mile trip which will seem see him also pass through New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

Great support

During his first few weeks in America Paul has already had some extremely kind help.

“The biggest thing I found was the genuinely good nature of the Californian people, when they asked me what I was doing and they found out it was for a children's hospice, they were only too keen to help me with anything I needed,” he said. 

“One family invited me to their home for dinner, another person invited me to use a caravan he owned as a place to spend the night, while another bought me dinner and gave me $140 for food and accommodation.”

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Our fundraiser Cat said: “Paul has made an incredible start and has already raised well over £4,000 in his first week or so.

“We cannot wait to hear how more of the journey unfolds. Good luck Paul, we are all behind you, every step of the way.”