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Date: 7/11/2022
BELCHERTOWN — Don’t be surprised if a tall guy with Mickey Mouse gloves gives you a high-five as you pass by him on the road into town.
“I just love to see the smiles on people’s faces. I love the energy we share in that moment, with the high-five. It’s electric and most people seem to enjoy it,” said Brent Walton, the High-Five Guy.
Walton began getting high praise for his high-fives when he handed them out as he ran laps through a park in Salt Lake City, UT. He did that for seven years, before he and his wife Claire moved to Belchertown in January. Walton became known as one of Salt Lake City’s Street Characters, a moniker he wears with honor.
“I got a lot of repeat high fivers, so most people in the park knew who I was. I was a little hesitant to do this when we moved to Belchertown. I was nervous and wondered how well it would go over here,” said Walton.
It didn’t take long for him to find out. Shortly after he moved into town, he took his high flying, high-fiving act on the road, running a three-mile loop from his home on Federal Street to the center of town and back. He runs several times a week beginning around 7 a.m. That’s a good time to catch the morning commute, waiving high-fives in the air as motorists drive by.
“It takes them out of their everyday bubble. It snaps people back to the present and into an experience that was totally unexpected but fun,” he said.
It’s only natural that Walton thinks giving high-fives is a spiritual experience. He and his wife focus on mind and body as certified meditation and yoga instructors. He is also a certified life coach. Soon they will be teaching all of this at their 75-acre farm.
Walton said there is an unmistakable connection between a quick high-five and meditation or yoga.
“Both benefit people by taking them away from the stories in their head or things going on in their lives. It’s about bringing them back to the present moment. When you’re able to do that you’re able to come back and possibly have a different perspective on life,” said Walton.
Speaking of the connection between yoga and high-fives, Walton added over email that he offers a twice-a-week yoga class on Tuesday and Thursday at 6 p.m. The classes take place at Walton’s home at 111 Federal St.
Walton knows firsthand the benefits of slowing down and taking stock in the moment. He and his wife rent a home they own through Airbnb; they operate a horse boarding service and plan to make a business out of teaching yoga and meditation. Walton is also a full-time supervisor at Costco in West Springfield.
With all of that going on, he still finds time to run into town, high-fiving drivers, walkers and runners every step of the way.
“I like helping people even if that means just getting a smile on their face by giving them a high five. I like to help people feel better in some way, shape or form. I’ll be their guide,” he said. “We need more positive energy in the world, and I’d like to consider myself a positive agent for change.”
Find out more about the High Five Guy by following him on Instagram @liberty_woods_high_five_guy, visiting him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/brent.walton.54 or calling him at 801-574-5488.