The Long & Lonely Road Home: Remembrance Run 2024 with the Stevens Family

Pizen Switch Times is grateful to Misty Stevens for the information and photography for Remembrance Run 2024. Kutoven Stevens ran 50 miles on Sunday, August 11th, 2024 from Stewart, Nevada to his home on Campbell Ranch in Mason Valley. His parents, Misty & Delmar, were the “wind beneath his wings” as he ran.

Ku ran for his great-grandfather Frank Togo Stevens, who at 8 years of age ran away from the Stewart Indian School  3 times to reach his family in Mason Valley where he felt safe & loved. Ku ran for indigenous children all across North America who had been forcibly taken from their families and placed in residential re-education schools run by people who had no love for the “feral children”. Ku ran for the children who died, never to return to their families. Ku ran for the broken hearts of mothers whose children were torn from their arms.  Ku ran to bring awareness to this tragic chapter in history. Ku ran on this solitary trail to continue the healing process for all peoples who bear the scars of the intentions to reconstruct indigenous families and their cultures. -PSTimes

Misty wrote, “Remembrance Run 2024: This year Kutoven Stevens is attempting his first ultra and will be running for the children. He says he’s not sure if he can do it, all 50 miles; first time I’ve ever heard him doubt his ability. It had been a tough year for him. Please pray for him today and remember the ones who ran, those that survived, and those who did not make it home.”

Sacred prayer sashes:

“We did not do the full Run with everyone this year, as we had committed to support the Peace and Dignity Journey; however Ku still felt that he wanted to honor the children and so this solo journey was born. Delmar and I are support crew for him and have our shoes ready if he needs to tag out. Thank you to all the Journeyers who supported Ku’s vision the last three years, we love you!”

 

“Ku leaving better footprints: RR 2024” – Misty

‘Hatred is not the norm. Prejudice is not the norm. Suspicion, dislike, jealousy, and scapegoating-none of these things is the transcendent facet of the human personality. They are the diseases. They are the cancers of the soul. They are the infectious and contagious viruses that have bled humanity over the years. But because they have been and are, is it necessary that they shall be?’ ~Rod Serling (1964)

Misty: “We made it to Remembrance Run campsite to find a felled tree across the road and a chainsaw wielding dude at the entrance, so Ku’s rest stop was a little bit down the road. We are now in the spot where runners and cars split, almost to the 40 mile mark. Ku is sore and had some ibuprofen and pickle juice and peanut butter.”

“I did a little walk from camp to where the water flows, while Delmar was working on Ku’s muscles. Pretty soon he zoomed by me, but I got a ‘good job mom’.” – Misty

Misty wrote, “I was thinking about the mama’s this morning, how it would have been to carry your baby dreaming all those dreams for him as all mama’s do, the agony of the birth, and then the utter devastation of having that child ripped from you, and then the next time you see them would be at their gravesite, all the dreams nothing but ashes. So thankful my son runs because he can.”

“There he goes for the final 5 miles of his first ultra 50 mile Remembrance Run 2024. Good Job, Ku!” – Misty Stevens

“Ku Stevens attempted and completed his first 50 mile ultra today, running for the survivors of Indian boarding schools and those children who never made it home. I can hear Grandma Mary saying “Crazy Ku” and being so proud at the same time. This son of ours was blessed with an extraordinary talent and uses it in the best way he can to honor his people and the gift.”  – Misty Stevens