From Boardrooms To Boat Decks: Oliver Widger's Journey To Freedom With Pet Cat

Breaking the monotony, isn't life all about that? When professional and personal burdens wear us down, we often crave to escape the shackles and find ourselves in the lap of nature. That's the sole purpose of embarking on solo trips. Recently, a man from the US state of Oregon echoed a similar sentiment. He followed his heart, quit his 9-5 job and set forth on an adventurous sailing experience. The traveller brought his pet cat along on the journey. Oliver Widger, suffering from a cervical spine condition, decided to leave his corporate life behind and embark on a sea-faring sojourn with his furry friend Phoenix. 

Oliver Widger was diagnosed with Klippel-Feil syndrome, which could lead to paralysis, reported Fox12. Although he initially planned on sailing in 2026, Oliver's medical condition forced him to give wings to his dreams sooner. Despite not having any prior sailing experience, he was determined to sail from Oregon to Hawaii. 

“I went through a crisis of some sort. I thought I wanted the white picket fence, but I was moving up the corporate ladder. … It felt empty. When I got the diagnosis, I was like, ‘what's the point?'” he told the media outlet. 

After quitting his job at a tire sales company, Oliver Widger withdrew all his savings - 400,000 US dollars to be precise, reported SuperCar Blondie. As per the webloid, he bought a sailing boat with the money. His goal? To live life to the fullest. Oliver fixed his boat and ventured into the sea this month with Phoenix, a cat he found in the dumpster 

Oliver Widger's first week at sea was nothing short of an ordeal, as claimed by SuperCar Blondie. The amateur sailor braved storms, repaired the sails endlessly and encountered a “terrifying” rudder failure. “The boat was just rocking like this every thirty seconds,” he admitted. But with each passing day, Oliver started to get the hang of the sailing tactics. 

For now, Oliver Widger is only focusing on the “good moments” that sailing has brought him. “I am just gonna live life as hard as I can until I can't,” he shared. 

Oliver Widger's story is truly an inspiration for all travel enthusiasts. Explore his social media handle here.