When Perry Wellness Center founder and CEO Stuart Perry and PWC artist and designer Jeff Williams take time off work for a road trip, there’s no telling where they’ll end up! When they drove a friend’s RV out of the parking lot for a recent cross-country trip, they were heading to California for Stuart to meet up with his lifelong friend, John Paul Shellnutt, an Americus native who played college football with Stuart at Troy State University.

The friends have kept in touch for decades since. Shellnutt made a career in the movie industry and has literally been on the other side of the country. The longtime friend has appeared in several movies over the years, including Cut Bank, Baytown Outlaws and Jane Mansfield’s Car.

A mutual friend invited Stuart and others to attend a benefit for Shellnutt while they were on the West Coast.  So, a visit with his old friend also turned into a trip to Hollywood, where friends feted the retired actor. Adventures happen when the mutual friend is famed actor Billy Bob Thornton! Thornton is known for his roles in such movies as Sling Blade and Bad Santa, and stars in the upcoming Netflix series, Landman.

Stuart described the benefit as “an amazing experience with amazing people.” Jeff, fiancée Linda Stafford, and Stuart appreciated the beautiful scenery and milder temperatures. But Stuart promises that his next cross-country trip will be by air!

Pictured in the photo above are, left to right: Stuart Perry, John Paul Shellnutt (seated), Billy Bob Thornton, and Jeff Williams.