Bellevue native preparing to run across Nebraska
Brandon Schutt's goal is to raise $50,000 to split amongst four local nonprofits
Brandon Schutt's goal is to raise $50,000 to split amongst four local nonprofits
Brandon Schutt's goal is to raise $50,000 to split amongst four local nonprofits
For Brandon Schutt, it took convincing from a friend in eighth grade to get him to start running.
“At first I thought it was a really stupid idea and didn’t think I’d ever be a runner," Schutt said. "Then after that first year I kinda fell in love with it.”
But Schutt’s body didn’t, and his freshman year of high school he had guided growth surgery on his knees.
“Essentially they put metal plates in my knees to try and correct how they looked. My knees would go inward and with the metal plates they corrected that," Schutt said. "I didn’t ever think I would be this good of a runner understanding my circumstances but I was almost an entirely different runner once I got them out.”
Last week, Schutt ran 100 miles across seven days, preparing for a journey 17 months in the making.
“Halfway through my senior year of high school I saw someone on the internet, his name is Hellah Sidibe, he ran across the country," Schutt said. "I started thinking to myself, ‘That could be something I could do one day’ but for now maybe I just start with running across Nebraska.”
On May 31st, Schutt and a group of friends will load up an RV and drive to Big Springs. Schutt’s plan is to run 364 miles in 10 days, ending the cross state trek in his hometown of Bellevue.
“The goal is to do 40 miles a day," Schutt said."Not neccessarily a goal, that’s what I have to do if I want to make it back in 10 days.”
Schutt’s reason for running isn’t to prove he can. His goal is to raise $50,000 to share amongst Make-a-Wish Nebraska, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, Community Alliance and the Stephen Center.
He is raising money through a GoFundMe link that can be found here.
“I just wanted to do something for the culture, for the community. I chose four nonprofits in the area that I felt were important," Schutt said. "Obviously there’s a lot more that are important but these were kinda the ones that stood out to me.”
The former Bellevue East runner says his parents raised him to help others, something he did in 2021 when he made local and national news for helping a collapsed runner cross the finish line of a district cross country meet.
“Over the years I feel like there’s been a lack of community. More or less people growing apart," Schutt said. "If I was gonna inspire someone I think it’s just more or less knowing just do it and do it to the best of your ability. I know that sounds very cliche but also if you’re able to do something, you have a moral obligation to do so.”
With every step on his journey across the state, Schutt hopes to remind people that taking the time to help others is always a step in the right direction.