An Oregon man who quit his job to set sail with his cat arrives to cheering fans in Hawaii

HONOLULU (AP) — An Oregon man who quit his job at a tire company and liquidated his retirement savings to set sail for Hawaii with his cat, Phoenix, reached his destination Saturday, welcomed by cheering fans at the end of a weekslong journey that he documented for his mass of followers on social media.

Oliver Widger, who also was greeted by Hawaii Gov. Josh Green at the Waikiki Yacht Club on Oahu, acknowledged he was nervous facing the crowd, which included reporters. Widger said he was feeling “really weird” — not seasick, but, “I just feel like I have to, like, hold on to things to not fall over.”

He became an online sensation with his story, which followed a diagnosis four years ago with a syndrome that carried a risk of paralysis and made him realize he disliked his managerial job. He quit his job with “no money, no plan” and $10,000 of debt — and the goal of buying a sailboat and sailing around the world.

He taught himself to sail mostly via YouTube and moved from Portland to the Oregon coast. He spent months refitting the $50,000 boat he bought.

He set sail for Hawaii with Phoenix in late April, documenting their experiences for his more than 1 million followers on TikTok and 1.7 million followers on Instagram. He said he thinks his story, which made national news, resonated with people.

“I think a lot of people are, you know, you’re grinding at your job all day long and it doesn’t really matter how much money you make at this point, everybody’s just trying to do enough to get by and that just wears you out,” he said. “It’s just the world's in a weird place, and I think people have seen that it’s possible to break out.”

Green presented Widger with a proclamation. Fans swarmed Widger after the news conference, many holding cameras and seeking selfies.

The scariest point of the trip came when a rudder failed, Widger said. Highlights included seeing dolphins and whales and periods of calm Pacific waters. “Being in the middle of the ocean when it was completely glass in every direction was an absurd feeling,” he said.

Widger, 29, said he never truly felt alone, since he was communicating with friends by means including video conference. But he also lamented not experiencing the open waters in a way that other sailors — who didn't have access to tools like Starlink internet satellites — have in years before.

He said he may travel next to French Polynesia. But he said he had been focused on getting to Hawaii and not on what he'd do after that. He said he also needs to make repairs to his boat.

Oliver Widger, (back of boat) a 29-year-old Oregon man who sailed from Oregon to Hawaii, arrives at the Waikiki Yacht Club, on Saturday, May 24, 2025 in Waikiki, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Michelle Bir)

Governor Josh Green presents a proclamation to Oliver Widger, 29-year-old Oregon man who sailed from Oregon to Hawai'i, on Saturday, May 24, 2025 in Waikiki, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Michelle Bir)

Oliver Widger, 29-year-old Oregon man who sailed from Oregon to Hawai, arrives at the Waikiki Yacht Club, on Saturday, May 24, 2025 in Waikiki, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Michelle Bir)

Oliver Widger, 29-year-old Oregon man who sailed from Oregon to Hawai, arrives at the Waikiki Yacht Club, on Saturday, May 24, 2025 in Waikiki, Hawaii. (AP Photo/Michelle Bir)

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 8, 2025--

Resecurity, a global cybersecurity and threat intelligence company trusted by Fortune 100 enterprises and government agencies, has joined the U.S.-Saudi Business Council (USSBC) as a Chairman’s Circle member — the Council’s highest membership tier that brings together industry leaders advancing innovation, defense, and cross-border investment between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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Founded in 1993, the U.S.-Saudi Business Council is the first and only institution created specifically to advance private-sector partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States. With offices in Washington, D.C. and Riyadh, the Council connects senior executives, investors, and policymakers from leading American and Saudi organizations across diverse sectors. Its mission is to facilitate partnerships, foster innovation, and strengthen the economic relationship that underpins the long-standing U.S.-Saudi alliance.

“Joining the Chairman’s Circle aligns with our long-term commitment to Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation and to trusted cross-border partnerships,” said Gene Yoo, CEO of Resecurity. “Cybersecurity is a prerequisite for economic growth and modern digital ecosystem. We look forward to contributing intelligence-driven capabilities that help protect critical infrastructure, financial systems, and innovation initiatives across the Kingdom and the broader region.”

Charles S. Hallab, President and CEO of the U.S.-Saudi Business Council, said: “We are pleased to welcome Resecurity as a Chairman’s Circle member. Their commitment to strengthening cybersecurity capabilities aligns well with the Council’s mission of advancing high-impact U.S.–Saudi partnerships. We look forward to their engagement and to the contributions they will bring to our members and the broader business community.”

This step builds on Resecurity’s ongoing collaboration with the Council and partners from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, underscoring cybersecurity as one of the key drivers of national resilience, digital sovereignty, and technology excellence in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030.

About U.S.-Saudi Business Council

The U.S.-Saudi Business Council, “the Council,” was established as a non-profit organization in 1993 as a spin-off of the U.S.-Saudi Arabian Joint Economic Commission, a technical assistance initiative between the Saudi Ministry of Finance and National Economy and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. To learn more, visit https://ussaudi.org.

About Resecurity

Resecurity® is a cybersecurity company that delivers a unified endpoint protection, fraud prevention, risk management, and cyber threat intelligence platform. Known for providing best-of-breed, data-driven intelligence solutions, Resecurity’s services and platforms focus on early-warning identification of data breaches and comprehensive protection against cybersecurity risks. Founded in 2016, it has been globally recognized as one of the world’s most innovative cybersecurity companies with the sole mission of enabling organizations to combat cyber threats regardless of how sophisticated they are. Most recently, by Inc. Magazine, Resecurity was named one of the Top 10 fastest-growing private cybersecurity companies in Los Angeles, California. Resecurity is a member of InfraGard National Members Alliance (INMA), AFCEA, NDIA, SIA, FS-ISAC, and multiple American Chambers of Commerce globally, including AmChamKSA. To learn more, visit https://resecurity.com.

Resecurity Joined the U.S.-Saudi Business Council as a Chairman's Circle Member