Danny Garcia is former marine and ordained minister who has walked and prayed for children and world peace on six continents, more than 26,000 miles (greater than the circumference of the earth) for over 23 years. In 1996, Danny Garcia took his first steps as a personal commitment and lifelong pursuit of peace.
Danny Garcia was born in the Spanish Harlem community of New York City, on March 18, 1945. His parents, American-born, are of Cuban ancestry. Danny’s father, Jose Garcia (“Bilingue”) was a highly respected Latin percussionist who played with Xavier Cugat, Machito’s Orchestra, and many other well-known musicians. At the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts, Jose Garcia was honored as a pioneer of Latin music in America during the Latin Roots Exhibit. Danny accepted the honor on behalf of his father. His mother Margaret is in her 90’s and is a prayer warrior.
During his early years, Danny lived in each of the five Burroughs of New York. At the age of 17, Danny joined the United States Marine Corps (1962 – 67). He was embarked on a naval vessel during the Cuban Missile crisis, ready to storm the island of Cuba, if ordered. He was then stationed at Guantanamo Bay in 1963. During his first tour in the Marine Corps, he was a wireman, radio operator, Communications Chief, and Prison Supervisor. In 1968, Danny returned to civilian life and worked for Shell Oil Company. He trained under Bud Roberts, his mentor, Art Director and Head of Public Relations. Danny successfully worked at Shell Oil until 1972, when he reenlisted in the Marine Corps.
In 1972, during his second Marine Corps enlistment, he was stationed in Nam Phuong, Thailand. He was a Command Counselor for Alcohol & Drug Abuse and Human Relations Program Instructor. He stopped the use of drugs within the ranks and eliminated racial violence amongst marines. Danny credits his success in the Vietnam theater to the Life Values teachings of Dr. Robert L. Humphrey, author of the Human Relations Program written for the Marines. Danny Garcia took the tools from R. L. Humphrey’s manual and applied the principles as his way of life. Danny was discharged honorably from the Marine Corps in 1975.
From 1975 to 1995, Danny Garcia served in several law enforcement capacities in San Diego, California: Correctional Officer, Metropolitan Correctional Center, Federal Prison; Lieutenant, Burns Security; and Site Commander, Salk Institute. He has also served as the Drug and Alcohol Counselor at NEPSI Narcotics Treatment Program; Drug and Alcohol Counselor at the Methadone Clinic; and Peer Group Counselor at Patrick Henry High School.
From 1978 – 1996, Danny traveled throughout the world, presenting symbols of peace to dignitaries and world leaders on behalf of the Children of Our World Organization. He made numerous presentations, either personally or through intermediaries, to include: UNICEF at the UN; Prime Minister Shamir in Israel; Pope John Paul II in Rome; Princess Anne in England; President of the Olympic Committee in Seoul, Korea; US Presidents Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and Jimmy Carter; Mother Theresa in San Diego, CA; Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Ralph Bunch in NYC; Stevie Wonder; Michael Jackson; Whitney Houston; Redd Fox; Dr. Jonas Salk; Jackie Kennedy Onasis; and Mohammed Ali.
On Dec 7, 1996, he embarked a journey of faith, ministering the love of God by literally praying and walking around the world. Danny’s inaugural walk of 3,500 miles was for the Children of our World and World Peace. He walked the first leg of his journey from San Francisco to Tijuana, then walked the second leg from Alexandria, LA, to the Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He walked to honor the memory of the innocent children who lost their lives in the bombing and arrived at the one-year anniversary of that tragic event. The final leg of the trek was Miami, FL, to NYC, NY. Dr. Deloise Blakeley, Acting Community Mayor of Harlem, joined Danny, from Harlem to the UN where they were greeted by children from 185 countries.
In 1997, Danny walked from the Mexican/US border to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, CA, for Super Bowl XXXII Sunday. In his honor, the Mayor of San Diego proclaimed Jan 25, 1998, as Danny Garcia Day.
In 1998, Danny attended a United Nations Peace Summit in NYC for the International Day of Peace, in conjunction with the Season of Nonviolence. Danny traveled to Europe where he continued to walk for children and world peace. His walks took him through European countries such as Great Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Hungary, Albania, and Italy.
The culmination of his four-year walk around the world ended in Sydney, Australia, in September of 2000 in conjunction with the opening of the Olympic Games. Danny invited Bruce Stephen Foster to join him in Sydney at Planet Hollywood to perform the song he co-authored with Richie Sambora, called “One Night of Peace.” The event conveyed a plea for every nation on Earth to honor a 24-hour ceasefire prior to the lighting of the Olympic torch so every child in the world could experience “One Night of Peace.” This song inspired Danny to produce a day-long concert that promoted the UN’s International Day of Peace month-long Celebration.
On November 11, 2000, Danny traveled to Rome, Italy for the closing of the Holy Door at the Vatican in the Millennial Year of Jubilee. Later that month, Danny visited the Philippines for a walk organized jointly by the Red Cross, the National Press Club, and with the support of the Philippine government and Department of Interior. He started walking in Laoag, Llocos Norte, and ended in Manila in December 2000.
In February 2001, Danny promoted the cause of peace in Australia. In June 2001, he traveled to Jordan and walked in the Middle East to raise funds for an Iraqi boy who needed a heart operation. During this time, he was taken hostage in Rafah in the Gaza Strip then released unharmed. After the terrorist attacks of September 11th, Danny returned to the US and visited Ground Zero, where the Twin towers once stood. He was deeply moved with compassion and anguish. On September 1st, 2003, Danny walked from Ground Zero to Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, arriving on September 10th. On the morning of September 11th, Danny continued his walk to the Pentagon, where he participated in the memorial ceremony in the chapel of the Pentagon.
During 2005, Danny lived in the Philippines where he walked extensively throughout the country for Children’s Rights and World Peace.
On September 12, 2005, Danny walked 180 miles from the Grafton Peace Pagoda in Albany, NY, to the UN, arriving for UN’s International Day of Peace on September 21, 2005.
In November 2005, after Hurricane Katrina leveled the city of New Orleans, Danny partnered with the New Orleans Mission to help restore the massive destruction. The hurricane severely damaged the mission, rendered the building uninhabitable, and destroyed the goods inside. The mission lost most of its roof. Danny received support from Dare 2 Dream and students at TCI College in NYC, who sponsored Danny’s 33-day, 1200-mile walk to New Orleans. Danny raised awareness of the struggles of the victims of Hurricane Katrina and their need for national support. He raised $500,000 in cash and in-kind donations to rebuild the New Orleans Mission and put a roof over the heads of thousands of people who sought refuge at the mission annually.
In January 2006, Danny formed the non-profit Global Walk Foundation to raise funds and bring awareness to children’s charities, AIDS orphans, and water shortages. He created ways of using his walks for peace to financially benefit causes that sought his support. The organization is now Global Walk Inc.
In July 2007, Danny and his Global Walk team traveled to Africa and visited the countries of South Africa, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Southern Sudan. He and his team visited maximum security prisons in South Africa. In Uganda, he and his team ministered and washed the feet of hundreds of churchgoers. In September 2007, he welcomed the Ethiopian Millennium. Because of his humble desire to walk for peace in war-torn Southern Sudan, his persistence and grace inspired the Government of Southern Sudan’s declaration of the International Day of Peace as a national holiday.
In October 2008, Danny walked from Washington, DC, to New York City, where he officially commemorated the completion of 25,000 miles, ending at the Church of St. John the Apostle as they celebrated their 150th Jubilee.
In September 2009, Danny completed a 500-mile walk in New England, raising over $30,000 in cash and in-kind donations for the Barka Foundation, which builds water wells in Burkina Faso, one of the poorest nations in the world. For this feat, Danny was awarded the Shining World Compassion Award from the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association.
In February 2010, Danny conducted a cross-country prayer walk from the capital of the Dominican Republic to the capital of Haiti, finishing in Port Au Prince where on January 12, 2010, a historic Haiti earthquake leveled Haiti to its very foundations. His walk displayed international and spiritual support for Haiti. He prayed for God’s help, salvation, and hope to spring from the ruins.
In October 2010, Danny provided similar words of encouragement to the people of Chile. He walked and presented a symbol of peace for the Chilean miners, their families, and the community, as the world stood vigil until the 33 trapped miners were gloriously rescued from the collapsed mine in Copiapo’. In September 2011, Danny conducted a walk in Costa Rica and was a guest speaker during this country’s Dia de Biblia (Day of the Bible) which coincided with the UN’s International Day of Peace. In March 2012, Danny traveled to and walked in Cuba, his home of ancestry, during the visit of Pope Benedict XVI.
In the US, days after the Boston Marathon bombing of April 2013, Danny walked the route of the marathon to honor victims and survivors of that bombing. In July 2014, he walked across the US border at San Diego and into Mexico to visit and pray for US Marine imprisoned at the El Hongo prison.
Danny returned to Africa in March 2015 and walked for peace in Morocco and along the Algerian border. In September 2016 he dedicated a walk in the northeast US to veterans. He returned to Israel in October 2017 and walked and prayed for the peace of Jerusalem during the Municipality’s Annual Jerusalem March, with many nations of the world represented.
For children who perished in US school shootings, Danny walked in Parkland, FL, days after the February 2018 tragedy. He prayed with mourners and those who lost their friends. In March 2019, Danny again walked for veterans, first responders, and their families in Honor Walk 2019. When the fire damaged the Cathedral of Norte Dame in April 2019, Danny walked in Paris, France, and presented the US and Marine Corps flags to the citizens of Paris to show support for French firefighters and first responders.
The main purpose of Danny’s walks is to facilitate, promote, and support the needs of children and their families, which includes engaging in humanitarian aid to victims of fire, poverty, flood, earthquake, or war. Danny inspires hope, shares spiritual wisdom, and renders aid to the needy. He encourages others to do the same while teaching people how to communicate with respect.
He continues to walk and pray globally.
People world-wide request his story in print and in video. The biography of his life, cowritten with his wife and titled “Marines Don’t Cry: Delivering the Message at All Costs” was released December 2021. The book is available wherever books are sold. The book describes Danny’s life, dramatic conversion to Christianity, and more so his personal experiences with the power, miracles, and love of God.
Jackie is the CEO and President of Global Walk Inc., a FL Not for Profit, encompassing the charitable and ministry aspect of their work. Together they also run Danny Garcia Walking Man, LLC., a production company that raises funds for charities.