OCEAN COUNTY – What started as a school assignment has become a deeply human story – one of connection, perseverance, and finding light after darkness.
Jenna Walker, a 22-year-old Seaside Park native and recent graduate of Temple University, never expected her college documentary project to touch so many lives. But when she set out to tell the story of Gregory Andrus – a Toms River man known for his Facebook page Portraits of the Jersey Shore – her vision evolved into something far more powerful than either of them imagined.
Walker’s film, “A Walk Along The Jersey Shore: The Documentary,” follows Andrus’s emotional trek as he walked the entire coastline of New Jersey, from the tip of Sandy Hook to the shores of Cape May. The project became a collaboration rooted in faith, creativity, and purpose – and forged a bond between filmmaker and subject that continues to resonate.
“I had a class where we were tasked to write a mock documentary treatment about anything,” Walker said. “I grew up at the shore, and Gregory was someone I’d followed for years. I chose him for the assignment. My professor believed in the concept so much that she encouraged me to turn it into an independent study. That’s how the actual film began.”
Walker first met Andrus at a small book signing in Normandy Beach for his book “Portraits of the Jersey Shore,” a collection of portraits and real stories that shared the same name as his social media page. His second book, “Sand, Sea & Rescue: Lifeguards of the Jersey Shore,” honored 50 lifeguards along the Jersey coast and was released in 2022.
After sending Andrus letters he never received at his post office box, Walker switched gears. She contacted Andrus on Instagram, and almost immediately got a response. The timing, it turns out, was perfect: Andrus was just beginning his yearlong walk as a way to process and confront personal struggles with mental health challenges. That walk would ultimately form the foundation for both his next book and Walker’s documentary. Andrus’s book, “A Walk Along The Jersey Shore,” is currently in production and will soon be available for purchase.
The filmmaker joined Andrus on the walk midway through, starting in Harvey Cedars, coincidentally the first day Andrus had resumed walking after a painful back injury. “I had just thrown out my back and hadn’t walked for a month,” Andrus recalled. “That day, there’s a camera crew waiting on the beach. I thought – I’ve got to do this.”
Walker was joined by fellow Temple student Sheldon Harvey, who she described as a lifelong friend who also grew up at the Jersey Shore. Other students joined them as well for many of the on-location shots. However, it was Walker and Harvey who primarily walked beach after beach alongside Andrus, not just documenting his journey, but becoming part of it.
“Sheldon was a great friend to have with me through this,” said Walker, who credited her small crew and Temple University’s equipment resources for making the film possible.
At its core, the documentary isn’t just about the miles covered or the views captured – it’s about the human spirit. Andrus, who in a previous interview with JerseyShoreOnline.com in 2022 shared his journey from life on the streets to faith and family, now reaches over 77,000 followers with his deeply personal stories and images of shore life. But this project asked him to turn the lens inward.
“Being the subject was strange,” said Andrus. “But Jenna made me feel comfortable. She helped me access deep emotions and memories – things I’ve never shared publicly before. It really showed who I am.”
The film, dedicated to Danielle Thompson – the owner of the shop where Andrus and Walker first met, carries a message of hope and resilience. Andrus said the idea of a documentary about his life had long been a dream, but he didn’t know how or when it might happen.
“Jenna was an answer to prayer,” he said.
Walker didn’t script every shot ahead of time. She let the story unfold organically, editing hours of footage while also diving deep into Andrus’ social media to include archival content and images that added emotional texture. The final product captures not just the journey, but the contrast between silence and story, solitude and connection.
“There were scenes where I’d edit a section and just feel like it needed something more,” Walker explained. “So, I’d scroll through Gregory’s Facebook and Instagram and find a post that gave it that extra layer. I wanted each beach, each scene, to have its own identity.”
One of the most powerful moments, according to both Walker and Andrus, came in New Brunswick – where years earlier, Andrus was mistakenly shot by police. He had never returned to that place until filming the documentary.
“To go back there was incredibly hard, but necessary,” said Andrus. “I made a cross in the spot where I was shot and said a prayer. That moment… I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.”
The documentary has screened in Asbury Park, at the Long Beach Island Foundation, and in Cape May. An upcoming showing is scheduled for August 23 at the Ocean County Library in Toms River – a date that also marks the ten-year anniversary of “Portraits of the Jersey Shore.”
Walker, who graduated this past spring, plans to enter the film into festivals next summer and is considering future projects with a similar focus.
“I didn’t know I’d love documentary filmmaking as much as I do,” she said. “It’s taught me so much – not just about storytelling, but about myself.”
For Andrus, the collaboration has brought another level of visibility to his work – and a deeper appreciation for the power of partnership. “She honored my story,” he said. “She made it beautiful.”
As for the message he hopes audiences take away?
“No matter how dark life gets,” Andrus said, “Push through – because the light is even more beautiful on the other side.”
The film, like the man at its center, is a quiet triumph – a reminder that healing comes in many forms, and that sometimes, telling your story is the bravest walk of all.
