Wilmington marine vet runs across America to raise money for veterans

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)–Wilmington marine veteran Russell Larkins is enjoying his time in California this weekend after he took a five month journey on foot from Wilmington to San Francisco.

“I left on April 27, I decided to do it like on April 21 I think,” says Larkins.

It was a once and lifetime trip across the country Wilmington’s own Russell Larkins. He put the trip together in just six days, with just a marathon under his belt. He began his months-long journey in the Cape Fear with his eyes set on California alongside his dog Stormy.

Over the next five months, he would travel 3,000 miles through every situation possible. This past weekend he finished his mission of traveling across the United States, all for a cause he holds near and dear to his heart.

“It was all for struggling veterans,”Larkins says. “Originally it was just for veterans that were struggling financially due to COVID, but I found out pretty quickly that there are a lot of veterans out here that are struggling. They were struggling before COVID started and now it’s just been you know exacerbated.”

A veteran himself, Larkins faced challenge after challenge on his journey. At one point his feet were hurting so badly he couldn’t put on shoes. He spent the next day running nearly 20 miles in flip flops, but the hardships didn’t stop there. During his trek across the country, he went 32 hours without eating as stores were closed due to the coronavirus.

Larkins says when he thought he couldn’t go any further, it was the people he met along the way that encouraged him to keep going. They even starting a saying with him “Run Russell Run”!

“Americans are just beautiful people,” Larkins said. “I had people coming up to me all over the country offering me water, even bringing out donations in person in the middle of a pandemic. I probably talked to more people than I ever have in my life.”

His journey across the country started for the people and ended for the people. Larkins and his financial plan to spend a few more days in California before they make the trip back to North Carolina, but this time it’ll be in a car. He says he is more than ready to be back in the Cape Fear.

“You know it was pretty crazy,” said Larkins. “So, now that it’s over I got to get back to real life, but ya I’m definitely ready to go back to Wilmington.”

Larkins, who is the founder of Veterans For Good, posted videos and pictures on his Facebook page  if you would like to go back and follow his journey.