Mechanical engineering senior Dante’ Hebert had run only one marathon before deciding to run the 125-mile route along the Mississippi River levee.

His efforts raised money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The money Hebert raised went to Team Gleason, an organization founded by former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason and his wife, Michel. Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, and he used his platform as a football player to raise awareness for the disease and raise money for research.

“Steve Gleason has become an integral part of Louisiana culture in my eyes,” Hebert said. “Having a way to support Team Gleason and know they will make a difference ultimately lead to my decision of running for them.”

Hebert ran his first marathon in 2018 but suffered a few injuries in 2019 that delayed his racing. After his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, Hebert felt an urge to return to racing and help a philanthropic cause.

“My mom was initially hesitant about the possibility of an injury,” Hebert said. “After settling her down a bit and pulling a plan together, we ended up fathering more support than we could have ever imagined.”

Hebert started the race at Tiger Stadium on Jan. 9, his mother’s birthday. He ended the run at the Mercedes Benz Superdome hours before the Jan. 13 National Championship for LSU started.

Hebert did not complete this run alone. He had a support crew, including his twin brother, Dakota, and his father, John, to ensure his health and safety along the way. His friends were waiting to cheer him on at the end of the grueling run.

“This sort of event really changes your perspective on a lot of things in life,” Hebert said. “We were such a small group, but we made a major impact in people’s lives.”

The money Hebert raised surpassed his original goal of $5,000, and is now at $7,140 of his new $7,500 goal.

Hebert is on track to graduate in May, so he doesn’t plan to make the race an annual event. He does, however, intend to continue fundraising in the future.

“I would be glad to help pass the torch to any individual or team who would be interested in being involved with something like this,” Hebert said. “[Helping people] is something I will gladly try to continue wherever I go.”