To help raise money for restaurant workers who were stuck at home during COVID-19, two brothers, Aiden and Louis Ardine, decided to head out for a walk across America.
After five months and 3,200 miles, the two brothers arrived at the Pacific Ocean, completing their journey which began on the boardwalk in Asbury Park in New Jersey.
Their goal was to raise $30k for restaurant workers, but they ended up blowing that original goal out of the water and put together a grand total of $70,000. To achieve this feat, the brothers walked through 11 states for 162 days and experienced 12,000 feet of elevation change and 80 degrees in temperature variation.
"This would not have been possible without the help of a huge community of people, whether people were donating or helping us navigate our way across the United States," Aiden Ardine told App. "This was definitely an adventure founded in a very hopeful notion about America, and it confirmed our suspicion that people are inherently good and want to help their neighbors."
Their adventure was unforgettable and included a run-in with a black bear in Utah. By the time they reached San Francisco, their final destination, their supporters, including their mother, were there on the beach to greet them.