Curtis Hargrove

Curtis Hargrove (born March 27, 1989) is a German-born Canadian long-distance charity runner and fundraiser. He ran from Port Alberni, British Columbia, to Burbank, California to raise awareness for the work of Angel Magnussen in 2015. He walked from Cold Lake, Alberta to the provincial capital of Edmonton in 2013 for YWCA Edmonton's Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event. He ran across Canada to raise money for the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation in 2012-2013. In 2007, he ran across the provinces of British Columbia and Alberta to raise funds for the Terry Fox Foundation. He has been raising money through endurance since he was 15 years old. With his family in his home community of Cold Lake, he coordinated a 24-hour floor hockey tournament raise money for Sandra Shipclark, a woman with cerebral palsy, to get a new, up-to-date communication device in 2005.

Personal life Hargrove, born in Germany, moved to Cold Lake, Alberta with his family when he was less than a year old. He was 24 years old at the time of his cross-Canada run. He has been involved in marathon running for several years, winning the 2004 Centennial Marathon in Edmonton, Alberta. The course was 42 kilometers which he completed in three hours, fifty-seven minutes, and forty-two seconds.

2007 run In 2007, when he was 18 years old, Hargrove raised $50,000 when he ran across British Columbia and Alberta for the Terry Fox Foundation. began May 4, 2012, on the east coast of Newfoundland at St. John's, with Hargrove expecting to arrive in Victoria, British Columbia sometime between October 24 and November 4, 2012. He was able to cover approximately 50 kilometres each day. Hargrove was attempting to raise a million dollars for the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation for cancer research. The foundation was part of the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton.

Incidents during the run Arrest Hargrove was arrested by the Sûreté du Québec for "willfully obstructing an officer" near Saint-Nicolas, Quebec for running on the Trans-Canada Highway. His accompanying recreational vehicle driver, Morgan Seward, was fined 52 dollars.

Morgan Seward added the following update to Hargrove's "RunCurtisRun" Facebook page:

Hargrove was scheduled to appear in court on September 21, and hoped to have that date delayed until his run was completed. At the homecoming in Cold Lake on that same date, it was announced that the charges had been dropped. The company Hugginz by Angel is a non-profit belonging to Hargrove's friend Angel Magnussen, a 19-year-old with down syndrome and autism. Magnussen creates the blankets for children with terminal illness. Her wish was for DeGeneres to visit her Port Alberni studio in so she could help her sew blankets for sick children.

On October 18, 2015, after 50 days of running, Hargrove reached the Burbank studio but Ellen was not there. Although he was able to contact Ellen's production team, he was told that all they (he and his support driver) could do was leave gifts in a pile by the back gate. Although he was disappointed, he was not discouraged. Hargrove decided to keep the blanket, and bring it home with him "where he could continue to share it with people and spread the Magnussen's story until it eventually catches DeGeneres' attention."

Multi-media

Facebook video blogs

Hargrove has maintained a connection with his supporters through regular text updates and video uploads These are normally recorded just as he ends his running for the day. He may often be shown running up to the camera, tired out and talking about how the run went. His usual videographer has been Morgan Seward, his driver.

The "Run With It" comic strips

Curtis Hargrove has been featured in a series of comic strips created by one of the followers of his story.