Bro Ran 42 Back-To-Back Marathons Dressed As Forrest Gump In Honor Of His Fallen Friend

I ran three miles on the treadmill yesterday and I made a promise to myself to never put myself through that hell again. Absolutely excruciating.

So I kind of felt like a piece of shit when I found out that 43-year-old UK native Ewan Gordon grew out his hair and beard and ran 26 miles every day for six weeks to honor his late friend who passed from a rare genetic disorder.

Gordon challenged himself to take the 1,050 mile journey in memory of his 9-year-old family friend, Thomas Laurie, who died of Cockayne Syndrome, a premature again disorder that causes stunted growth and leads to a shortened life expectancy.

The dude ran from John O’Groats (UK) to Land’s End (UK), which according to Google Maps, is  812 miles (must’ve took a less direct route).

Gordon said the idea to run dressed as Forrest Gump started as a bet, and much like the movie, he reported that runners joined him along his journey.

This is what Gordon looked like on May 4th (pre-journey).

And after:

He told BBC,

“People just think it’s really funny and a lot of people just shout ‘run Forrest run.

Like Forrest Gump, I run because I feel the need to and I will stop when my work is done, I will stop when they find a cure to Cockayne Syndrome, as yet there is no known cure.”

Gordon’s run has raised close to $10,000 for three charities that supported Thomas and his family:  Respite Nursing for Oxfordshire’s Sick Youngsters, Helen and Douglas House, and Amy and Friends, a Cockayne Syndrome support group.

Thomas’ mother, Catherine Laurie, said,

“We are so very proud of Ewan and totally humbled by his fundraising in memory of Thomas.”

Check out Ewan’s JustGiving page and donate if you’re as moved by this as I am. And if you’re not struggling to pay rent this month.

BRO MOVES ONLY.

[H/T LADbible]

Matt Keohan Avatar
Matt’s love of writing was born during a sixth grade assembly when it was announced that his essay titled “Why Drugs Are Bad” had taken first prize in D.A.R.E.’s grade-wide contest. The anti-drug people gave him a $50 savings bond for his brave contribution to crime-fighting, and upon the bond’s maturity 10 years later, he used it to buy his very first bag of marijuana.