Friday December 8, 2000

Walking for Pennies

Just how far would you go to raise money for medical research? We found a man who going thousands of miles on foot! He's collecting pennies for his cause. As we found out, it's pocket change that could change the world. Here's today's RXtra report.

Step by step, state by state, cent by cent 36-year-old Kevin Looney is walking to raise money to help cure cancer. He says, "The idea at first was just to walk across the state of Virginia. Then it was just kind of put your foot in it say you're going to do it and walk across the country."

Seven months ago he left his Williamsburg, Virginia home and slowly started making his way towards California. He tells us, "The longest day was that 47 miler, very intense heat 105 degrees. It was about 16 hours of walking."

He averaged 26 miles a day, slept wherever he could at night, and dedicated his journey across America to his father Robert Looney, an elementary school principal and volunteer firefighter. Kevin remembers, "Just an amazing person the type of person that's very giving and very selfless."

But the man who gave so much to others lost everything when he was 58. He died from a rare form of cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, a disease that normally strikes children.So now Kevin is walking the walk, raising money to help cure children's cancer.

Finally after six months and 3,000 miles, Kevin Looney crossed the finish line in Venice, California. He says his dad would be proud, "I think he'd really appreciate that we put in so much effort even if it saves one life. Hopefully more!"

When the donations are totaled, Kevin hopes to have raised a million dollars in pledges. For more information check out www.pennyamile.org.