Local physical therapist assists Terry Willis during his 1,000 mile journey for justice

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW)- When Terry Willis walked to Clarksville on June 5th, he was greeted with great hospitality by the community, many who began to follow his journey for justice.

At that time, Willis was about 150 miles into his 1,000 mile journey from Huntsville, Ala., to Minneapolis, Minn., where George Floyd was killed in police custody.

On Friday, June 19, Willis announced via his Facebook page that he’d made it to Chicago and had walked the first 500 miles of his journey.

He said he plans to walk downtown in Chicago and then drive to his hometown of Lansing, Michigan to walk with family and friends. He will drive 135 miles towards Minneapolis, stop at the 500 mile mark and do the second half of his 1,000 mile journey.

Helping him reach his milestone was the thousands of supporters, God and a local physical therapist who assisted him so he could do so without injury.

During his stop in Clarksville, Dr. Tameka Duncan, a physical therapist and owner of Vitality Sport and Rehab, LLC., was tagged on a Facebook-live event following Willis’ walk and while watching, she visually assessed  Willis’ gait and walking pattern.

Her trained eyes noticed a slight limp and that he was in pain.

Duncan said she knew it was her mission to help Willis complete his journey by serving him in some capacity as he passed through Clarksville.

She reached out to Willis’ team and they welcomed her offer.

Duncan treated Willis twice during his visit in Clarksville and provided a full Performance Recovery Workup, identified a couple of issues he was dealing with and gave him a treatment plan to help him avoid injury on his trek. During his treatment, he fell asleep from the comforting therapy, she said.

Willis told her he didn’t realize he needed treatment and was grateful for her help.  Duncan offered to connect Willis with physical therapists in her network to receive treatments along his route.

However, Duncan received an unexpected call later from Willis’ team requesting her assistance again when he reached St. Louis, Missouri.

The only problem was she didn’t have a license to practice in Missouri. She would have to pass an exam and pay a fee, and that process typically takes several weeks.

Duncan stepped out in faith once more and took the exam. According to the licensing website, COVID-19 significantly slowed the testing process.

Not one to be deterred, she contacted the Missouri State Board directly and explained her situation and requested to have the grading expedited. Divine providence was on her side. The Missouri State Board agreed, and three hours later Dr. Tameka Duncan was licensed to practice in Missouri.

Willis’ team flew her to St. Louis, the next day.

When asked why she got involved in helping Willis, Dr. Duncan stated:

“I saw a need when I saw him walking … This experience has bolstered my confidence. I play a very small part in Mr. Willis’ story. It taught me to bravely step out in faith to do what God asks us to do, even if it seems difficult. God honors our hearts when we do.”

Vitality Sport and Rehab, LLC, is located at 200 Hartne Court, Clarksville, TN 37043.

They can be reached by phone at 931-444-3677, by email at tduncan@vitalitysportandrehab.com. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Vimeo.