Meet Aiden And Louis

Louis and Aiden are brothers from Red Bank, New Jersey, where they have lived most of their lives. They grew up spending lots of time appreciating the great outdoors with their father, while their mother, a violin teacher, nurtured and encouraged their creative pursuits.

The brothers come from a large, close-knit family—they have three other brothers as well as a sister. They have shared bedrooms, clothing, cars, and pretty much anything else you can expect two friends and brothers to share over the course of 27 years. Once they set out on their journey, they will be sharing the same tent for nearly five months.

Both Louis and Aiden graduated from Rutgers University and after college went on to work in a variety of jobs and industries. Both deejayed weddings, and worked for various landscapers and carpenters. Louis has also worked as a finish painter, coffee roaster, carpet cleaner, and awning repair man—just to name a few.

After spending a year teaching English in Spain, Aiden quickly settled into roles working in bars and restaurants in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Louis would eventually join him at Bond Street Bar and Grill, where Aiden started clearing tables and eventually worked his way up to management. Both quickly came to appreciate and enjoy the service industry: the hours were flexible, the pay was good, the work was fun, and they formed strong friendships with many of their coworkers. Aiden’s position at Bond Street (as well as the support of his friends and employers) allowed him to pursue his passions in writing and traveling. He, along with Trevor Stankiewicz, cowrote and produced “The Wrong Place: Or, How Not to Write a Play About a Genocide.”

At the beginning of the pandemic, both brothers, like many others, were laid off from work and forced to make some important choices regarding their futures. They moved home to save money and eventually left their positions at the bar in part to avoid exposing themselves or their loved ones to COVID-19, but also to begin looking for new opportunities to earn a living while making a difference in the world.

They have decided to pool what remains of their savings and embark on a cross country trek to raise awareness and funds for their family, friends, and peers still working in the restaurant industry.