Football fan raises big money for children's hospital
Carson King goes viral for 'Gameday' poster, pledges to donate money to local children's hospital.
Beer-lover Carson King has announced his viral Venmo fundraiser benefitting the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital has officially raised over $2 million – just in time for “Carson King Day” in the Hawkeye State.
“We just hit over 2 Million Dollars for [the hospital]” King shared on Twitter on Friday, adding the hashtag “#ForTheKids.”
The 24-year-old Iowa man made headlines earlier this month when he went on a taping of ESPN's "College Gameday" at Iowa State University asking people to send him money for beer. His sign read “Busch Light supply needs replenished" and included information on how to send him money through Venmo, the popular money-transfer app.
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After King received hundreds of thousands of dollars, he decided to donate to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.
Soon after, Busch Light decided to match the donation — and said they would send King a year's supply of beer with his face on the can.
But after King's good deed was picked up by media outlets, a reporter at the Des Moines Register working on a profile of the fundraiser discovered two racist jokes King had posted in 2012.
Though the man apologized for the incident, Busch Light's parent company, Anheuser-Busch InBev, announced that it was severing ties with King but promised to honor its pledge.
Beer lover Carson King has announced his viral Venmo fundraiser benefitting the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital has officially raised over $2 million – just in time for “Carson King Day” in the Hawkeye State. (Anheuser-Busch)
In a statement to Fox News, King expressed that he didn't want "any of this negativity to hinder with the amazing work everyone has done for the hospital."
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Meanwhile, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced earlier this week that Saturday, September 28, 2019, would be celebrated as "Carson King Day" in the Midwestern state.
“Individuals like Carson King demonstrate how ‘Iowa Nice’ isn’t just a slogan, but our way of life,” the proclamation read. "Carson King can showcase who we are as a people, not only by selflessly donating to a worthy cause, but spreading the message of generosity."
Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019, is "Carson King Day" in Iowa. (Office of the Governor of Iowa)
Additionally, Iowa's Geneseo Brewing Company said they were "appalled" by the Des Moines Register and Anheuser Busch's actions, saying that people grow and change.
"We have witnessed your growth through your later social media content and accept your apologies," the brewing company stated. "We believe that your selfless act to raise funds for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital is a truly noble act."
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The company subsequently said it named a new Pilsner beer called "Iowa Legend" after him and planned to donate $1 "from every pint and 16-ounce can sold to your cause until the batch is sold out."
According to WHO-DT, King will keep fundraising for the good cause through the end of September, accepting donations through his Venmo account.
On Monday, a “Carson King Countdown Concert” will be held in the city of Clive to close out the campaign with a bang, with all proceeds benefitting the children’s hospital, KCCI reports.
Fox News’ Nicole Darrah, Michael Hollan and Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.
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