This Costumed Jogger Is Spreading Joy Around His California Town in a Simple, Unusual Way | 22 Words

Sometimes people do odd things for no real reason. Sometimes they do odd things simply because other people find it curious, funny, and entertaining. In a world where BIG and serious things are happening every day, where the onslaught of current events can feel overwhelming, we're all grateful for the little slice-of-life stories that offer moments of levity. This is one of those stories.

Something strange has been spotted in Riverside County, Calif.

A man dressed as Forrest Gump, complete with bushy beard and red track shorts, has been sighted jogging in the area. He has quickly become a bit of a local legend. An exciting mystery.

Forrest sightings starting popping up all over local social media feeds.

Who is this guy? Why is he dressed like Forrest Gump? He'll stop and chat, but when asked his name, he simply answers "Forrest."

Wherever he's been spotted, happiness happens.

Even the Riverside PD got in on the fun. This Gump is happy to wave and pose for photos, and then, like the "real" Forrest, he runs on. A Riverside Facebook group is filled with photos of encounters with the mystery jogger.

This jogging Forrest even takes some selfies himself.

Something as small and simple as a man dressed as an iconic movie character is spreading cheer and excitement throughout this entire community. You can hear people laughing and happily shouting out, "Run, Forrest! Run!" in the background. Maybe that's why he's doing it?

It turns out, that's exactly why he's doing it.

Forrest himself says, "There are a lot of bad things going on in the world today, and it's nice to take a little break from it." That's right, this man is donning a bushy fake beard for his daily jogs for the sole purpose of spreading a little happiness around. We'll take it! Thanks, Forrest!