7th grader takes Polar Plunge alone in honor of friend
KENOSHA (WITI) -- Freezin' for a reason. That's the theme of the Polar Plunge, which benefits the Special Olympics. At Saturday's plunge, almost all of the participants were part of a group. Except for Benjamin Hufendick.
Hufendick, a 12-year-old from Kenosha, took the plunge alone. He signed up to honor his friend, six-year-old Calvin Curtis. Curtis lived in Nebraska so Hufendick hardly got to see the family friend. The child played soccer in the Special Olympics, which drew Hufendick to the Polar Plunge. Last Sunday, Benjamin's family told Calvin's family about the plunge.
"And then later that evening, unexpectedly, Calvin passed away," said Benjamin's mother, Marcy Hufendick, "He did know before Benjamin jumped that Benjamin was doing it for him so that's really remarkable."
Stunned by his friend's death, Benjamin decided he would take plunge in memory of Curtis. Saturday, he dove in with a laminated picture of Calvin in tow.
"I got a blanket but I'm still kind of shivering," Benjamin said afterward, " (Calvin is) smiling down."
Last year, more than 10,000 people took the Polar Plunge in Wisconsin. Their fundraising efforts brought in more than $2 million for the Special Olympics.