Cameron Mofid was supposed to be hitting tennis balls for a living. Instead, he turned his OCD into a world record-breaking superpower, visiting all 195 countries while building schools in Nigeria. Sometimes life’s biggest plot twists come from embracing what makes you different.
The 25-year-old American just wrapped up a journey that sounds like something out of a movie, becoming the youngest verified person to pull this off.
And no, he didn’t just collect passport stamps at airports. This guy actually lived in each place, because apparently, when OCD meets ambition, half-measures aren’t an option.
When Tennis Dreams Hit a Wall
Growing up in San Diego with an Egyptian mother and a Persian father, Cameron had his whole life mapped out on tennis courts. He wasn’t just playing for fun, either; he had a world ranking on the ITF Junior Tour.
Professional tennis was the plan, the dream, the whole future.
Then injuries happened.
Instead of spiraling, however, he pivoted in a way that would make any career counselor proud.
He channeled that competitive energy into academics, earning his BBA and MBA from the University of Miami and graduating with a magna cum laude and valedictorian distinction.
So, basically, he could’ve walked into any corporate job and made a fortune. But that’s not how this story goes.
The Garage Map That Started Everything
Cameron’s travel obsession actually began much earlier, during his childhood visits to his grandmother in Egypt. While other kids were glued to screens, his teta would call out random country names, and he’d hunt them down on this old world map in their garage.
After tennis ended, he found himself writing about tennis tournaments in places like Hong Kong, Milan, and Marrakech. The world started feeling less scary and way more interesting. But it was 2020 that really changed everything.
When OCD Met Lockdown (And a Random Travel Fact)
COVID lockdown hit different when you’re stuck with nothing but TikTok, Zoom calls, and your own spiraling thoughts.
Cameron’s OCD, which was already challenging, went completely off the rails during quarantine. He needed something, anything, to focus on.
That’s when he stumbled across this wild fact: More people have been to space than have visited every country on Earth.
The youngest person to do it was 27, and they’d counted transit stamps. Cameron’s detail-oriented mind (thanks, OCD) said, “Challenge accepted.”
But he wasn’t about to take shortcuts.
No airport layovers or quick photo ops. If he was doing this, he was doing it right—actually experiencing each country, not just checking boxes.
Then, The Start of The Journey That Almost Killed Him
What followed was three years of absolute chaos. We’re talking getting detained in Djibouti, falling sick in Algeria, sneaking into Afghanistan, and having tea with a Taliban member casually holding a machine gun. You know, typical Tuesday activities.
But here’s what Cameron found in every single country—from quiet villages in Suriname to the bustling streets of Lagos: people being incredibly kind. Sharing meals, offering help, proving that the world’s way less scary than news headlines make it seem.
Nigeria Changed Everything
Makoko village in Lagos was where things got real. Picture houses balanced on wooden poles over water, kids with barely any schools, and poverty that hits you right in the chest. Cameron didn’t just pass through—he saw an opportunity.
He started organizing charity efforts to build schools. Then, NBA star Kyrie Irving surprised everyone with a $45,000 donation, and suddenly, ‘Humanity Effect’ was born.
Now it supports hundreds of kids and is actually building schools. That’s the kind of impact that transforms travel from bragging rights into something that actually matters.
Turning Mental Health Struggles Into Superpowers
Remember that OCD that made lockdown hell? Cameron completely flipped the script.
The same disorder that once trapped him in scary thought loops became his secret weapon—driving curiosity, attention to detail, and the persistence to keep going when everything felt impossible.
“OCD used to control me,” he told a TEDx audience. “But now, it’s the engine that powered this mission.”
The Epic Finale in North Korea
April 2025. Cameron’s final country. And where does he choose to wrap up this insane journey? North Korea.
Not just visiting—running a marathon there, in front of 50,000 people, in one of the most closed-off places on Earth.
That’s the kind of flex that makes perfect sense for someone who turned personal struggles into world records.
Why This Story Hits Different
From a kid finding countries on his teta’s garage map to a global record-holder building schools and speaking about mental health—Cameron’s story resonates when you’re watching someone with roots like ours completely rewrite what’s possible.
He’s not done either.
Egypt’s still on his return list, but with a completely new perspective this time.
For everyone dealing with mental health struggles, career pivots, or just feeling stuck—Cameron’s out here proving that curiosity can literally heal, empathy can change lives, and sometimes the biggest detours lead to the most incredible destinations.
The world’s waiting. Your grandmother’s map was just the beginning. Pass by for some Shai with us!
