For years we have been trying to find out the identity of the man who walked backwards – mostly known to Merced residents as “backwards man.”
He was known to be one of the most kind, entertaining, intriguing individual you will ever meet. He would literally make you laugh and smile for that moment you saw him “walk backwards.” When people would see him in the street, they would say, “look there’s backwards man,” as if it was a rare occurrence.
According to several Merced residents, when they would ask him why he walks backwards, he would say, “Because the world turned its back on me” or “I have PTSD, so now I have to watch my back” or “It makes my time go by much faster,”
“Backwards man” has not been seen in Merced for years, which makes people wonder what actually happened to him…
We have heard people say he passed away, but some also say he’s still alive; however, we haven’t confirmed with anyone who actually knew him personally.
Merced Daily would like to know his real name, if he has any family that lives in the area, and what his real story is. Although we do know one thing about the “backwards man,” and that is… he will always be a Merced legend.
