Who knew a plea for Busch Light could turn into a heartwarming story?
Among the hundreds of signs on ESPN’s “College Gameday” on Saturday in Ames, Iowa — ahead of the Iowa State-Iowa game — was one from Carson King that read, “Busch Light Supply Needs Replenished,” along with his Venmo username.
By Tuesday night, King had received more than $20,000 in beer donations from fans. It was enough to buy hundreds, if not thousands, of cases of Busch Light.
Instead, King settled for one case and is giving the rest of the money to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. The hospital is located next to Iowa’s Kinnick Stadium, which has started the tradition of the “Iowa Wave,” when fans wave to kids watching from the hospital windows at the end of every first quarter.
“After I got $600 I thought, ‘There are better things I can do with this,'” King, a 24-year-old who attended rival Iowa State, told CNN.
Busch Light and Venmo have both joined in on the giving, promising to match King’s donation to the hospital, which would push the total to about $60,000. For good measure, Busch Light offered to send King more beer, too.
King told CNN he would keep accepting Venmo donations through the end of the month. His Cyclones lost to Iowa 18-17 Saturday, but King came out the winner.