Iowa resident Daniel Hagerty will run the Pensacola Marathon on Saturday in honor of Capt. Jeff Kuss, the Durango-native and member of the Blue Angels who died in a plane crash in June.
Courtesy of Daniel Hagerty
Iowan Daniel Hagerty designed this jersey to wear in the Pensacola Marathon in remembrance of Durango native Capt. Jeff Kuss, a member of the Blue Angels, who died in a plane crash in June. The jersey is one of several items that will be given to the Kuss family after the race.
Courtesy of Daniel Hagerty
Iowa resident Daniel Hagerty will run the Pensacola Marathon on Saturday in honor of Capt. Jeff Kuss, the Durango-native member of the Blue Angels who died in a plane crash in June. Two teddy bears, made by his co-worker and dressed in Blue Angels flight suits with Kuss’ children’s names embroidered on them, will be given to the family along with the jersey Hagerty designed for the event.
Courtesy of Daniel Hagerty
Iowa resident Daniel Hagerty will run the Pensacola Marathon on Saturday in honor of Capt. Jeff Kuss, the Durango-native member of the Blue Angels who died in a plane crash in June. The bibs he will wear in the marathon were made by Marine families, and the presentation box for the bibs and the medal he will receive for completing the race was made by the Marine Shop. They will be given to the Kuss family after the race.
Courtesy of Daniel Hagerty
The family of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss arrives at the Durango-La Plata County Airport Friday afternoon. Photo by Luke Perkins/Durango Herald
Police, firefighters, airport personnel and Marines await the arrival of the remains of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss at the Durango-La Plata County Airport on Friday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Military personnel await the arrival Friday afternoon of the remains of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss at the Durango-La Plata County Airport. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Airport personnel, police, firefighters and Marines at the Durango-La Plata County Airport to welcome Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss home. Photo by Claudia Laws/Durango Herald
Memorial bracelets were made in honor of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, a Durango native. Photo by Claudia Laws/Durango Herald
The Kuss family prepares to leave the Durango-La Plata Airport Friday afternoon with the remains of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, who died in a jet crash last week during a Blue Angels practice flight. Photo by Luke Perkins/Durango Herald
Military personnel prepare for the arrival Friday afternoon of the remains of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss at the Durango-La Plata County Airport. Photo by Luke Perkins/Durango Herald
U.S. Marines stand outside a Blue Angels carrier on Friday afternoon to escort the remains of Blue Angels pilot and Capt. Jeff Kuss, a Durango native who died June 2 when he was flying his plane in Tennessee. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard await the arrival of family members of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss and his remains in a C140 Blue Angles plane as it taxies at Durango-La Plata County Airport on Friday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard await the arrival of family members of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss and his remains in a C140 Blue Angles plane as it taxies at Durango-La Plata County Airport on Friday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard stands behind the plane that carried the remains of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss from Pensacola, Florida, home to Durango on Friday. Photo by Claudia Laws/Durango Herald
A Blue Angels transport plane arrives with Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss’ remains on Friday afternoon at Durango-La Plata County Airport. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A Blue Angels transport plane arrives with Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss’ remains on Friday afternoon at Durango-La Plata County Airport. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
An escort was provided for family members of the late Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss as they leave the Durango-La Plata County Airport on Friday. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A Blue Angels transport plane carrying family members of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss and his remains arrives at the Durango-La Plata County Airport on Friday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Christina Kuss, the widow of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, and their children Calvin, 4, and Sloane, 1, thank the Blue Angels crew that flew her husband’s remains and family members to the Durango-La Plata County Airport on Friday. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Christina Kuss, the widow of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, and their children Calvin, 4, and Sloane, 1, thank the Blue Angels crew that flew her husband’s remains and family members to the Durango-La Plata County Airport on Friday. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Family members of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss carry his ashes out of the plane on Friday afternoon at Durango-La Plata County Airport. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Family members of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss carry his ashes out of the plane on Friday afternoon at Durango-La Plata County Airport. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Family members of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss carry his ashes out of the plane on Friday afternoon at Durango-La Plata County Airport. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
A man signs a guest book amid a photo display of Capt. Jeff Kuss at a public reception for his family on Saturday at Fort Lewis College. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
People begin to gather Saturday afternoon to pay respects to the family of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Flowers were abundant Saturday at a public reception at Fort Lewis College for the family of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss. Photo by Jessica Pace/Durango Herald
Family, friends and military colleagues of Capt. Jeff Kuss gather Saturday at a public reception for the family at Fort Lewis College. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Centerpieces used blue and yellow flowers to honor Capt. Jeff Kuss. The colors are shared by the Blue Angels, where Kuss was a pilot, and his alma mater, Fort Lewis College. Photo by Ann Butler/Durango Herald
A woman brought a sign honoring Blue Angels pilot Jeff Kuss to a reception at Fort Lewis College on Saturday. Photo by Jessica Pace/Durango Herald
People begin to gather for a public reception for the family of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss on Saturday at Fort Lewis College. Photo by Luke Perkins/Durango Herald
The community paid its respects to the Kuss family Saturday afternoon at a public reception at Fort Lewis College. Twitter photo by Fort Lewis College
Photos of Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss were displayed Saturday at a public reception at Fort Lewis College. Kuss, a pilot with the Blue Angels, died June 2 in a crash. Photo by Jessica Pace/Durango Herald
“Here’s a guy who is a legitimate hero to the whole state,” Gov. John Hickenlooper said Friday afternoon. “He went to Fort Lewis. They told him, ‘Well, we’re not sure that’s the right school if you want to be a pilot.’ He said, ‘I don´t care. I want to go to Fort Lewis. I want to be a pilot. I want to do both.’ The guy clearly had focus.” Hickenlooper ordered flags at all public buildings statewide to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Saturday to honor Capt. Jeff Kuss on the day of his service. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Michael Kuss, father of the late Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, receives hugs and kind words during the reception at Fort Lewis College following the graveside services at Greenmount Cemetery on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Michael Kuss, father of the late Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, receives hugs and kind words during the reception at Fort Lewis College following the graveside services at Greenmount Cemetery on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Janet Kuss, mother of the late Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, receives hugs and kind words during the reception at Fort Lewis College following the graveside services at Greenmount Cemetery on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Family and friends of the late Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss attend the reception at Fort Lewis College following the graveside services at Greenmount Cemetery on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Family and friends of the late Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, attend the reception at Fort Lewis College following the graveside services at Greenmount Cemetery on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Mary Anne Nelson, writes down a memory of the late Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, who she had as a student at Sunnyside Elementary School. “He was one of the greatest kids I’ve worked with, and if you ever met him you’d never forget him,” Nelson said during the reception at Fort Lewis College following the graveside services at Greenmount Cemetery on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Michael Kuss, father of the late Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, receives hugs and kind words during the reception at Fort Lewis College following the graveside services at Greenmount Cemetery on Saturday afternoon. Photo by Jerry McBride/Durango Herald
Iowa resident Daniel Hagerty decided years ago to dedicate his marathons to paying it forward, and at the upcoming Pensacola (Florida) Marathon, he will run in memory of Durango native Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss, the Blue Angels pilot who died in a plane crash in June.
“I’ve been a Blue Angels fan since I was a kid when the singing group Van Halen came out with the song ‘Dreams’ with a video featuring the Blue Angels,” said Hagerty, whose day job is a mortgage banker in Johnston, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines. “I listen to that song a lot during my training runs.”
Hagerty goes all in when he dedicates his marathons, beginning several months in advance. The marathoner got permission from the Blue Angels and the Kuss family and designed a special jersey to wear in the race, which takes place Saturday. Brooks Running Shoes made him a dedicated pair of shoes for the race.
Hagerty also enlisted a co-worker, who made two giant teddy bears wearing Blue Angels-style flying suits, with the names of Kuss’ children embroidered on the pocket. Marine families, living up to the Semper Fi motto, created a dedicated race bib for the cause, and Marine Shop made a presentation box for the bib and the medal Hagerty will receive for completing the marathon. All the items will be given to Kuss’ wife, Christina Ferrarese Kuss, and her family after the race.
“He is a true hero, and we should not forget,” Hagerty said about why he selected Kuss to be honored through his efforts.
In another part of the dedication, he learned friends who work for the The Weather Channel, meteorologist Jim Cantore and producer Steve Petyerak, met Kuss in July 2015. En route to Pensacola, Hagerty will stop by The Weather Channel’s studios in Atlanta to talk to the two men about their Kuss encounter and the upcoming marathon, including the weather forecast for race day.
In other marathons, Hagerty has run for Louisiana State Trooper Steven Vincent, killed during a traffic stop; TNT NBA sideline reporter Craig Sager after he was diagnosed with cancer; and Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach Flip Saunders after his death from cancer.
abutler@durangoherald.com
To watch
Early-risers can catch marathoner Dan Hagerty on The Weather Channel with meteorologist Jim Cantore and producer Steve Petyerak discussing Blue Angels pilot Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss at 6:30 a.m. local time Friday. The show is available on Channel 31 on Charter Spectrum Cable.
