MS fundraiser surpasses $10K, Edmontonian pledges another night in igloo for $15K

An Edmonton man sleeping in an igloo he built to raise money for multiple sclerosis (MS) research has surpassed his $10,000 goal.

Tyler Gamblin had originally planned to brave three nights inside his homemade igloo. Now, he’s added a fourth if he can reach a new target of $15,000.

CTV Morning Live caught up with Gamblin after his second night in a sleeping bag. He said the community's generosity and the warmer weather made it an easier decision to extend the fundraising goal.

“First night was a little bit warmer, around zero. It was kind of dripping on my head. But last night was -10 and I think it’s a little bit more comfortable when the water’s not a potential,” he said. 

Gamblin, along with his wife and brother, built the colourful igloo in their front yard using Tupperware containers. It took around a month to build.

“Initially I built it as fun for the front yard and for the neighbours, but all the neighbours were coming and saying it was a labour of love and I thought, 'Hey, let’s do this for a cause.'

"And we kind of shifted it to a labour for love," explained Gamblin.

“People like something fresh when they’re paying money for good causes and I figured this would catch the eye of some people and hopefully they can donate to a good cause.”

MS is a disease of the brain and spinal cord, where the immune system attacks the protective layer that covers nerve fibers. The disease runs in Gamblin’s family. He also participates in the MS society’s annual bike ride.

“Every year we seem to have a new reason to ride,” said Gamblin. “Actually a few people reached out to me just after I posted this and have said they were recently diagnosed, so every year there’s somebody to ride for and that list just keeps growing.”

This is the second year Gamblin has built an igloo. Last year’s was built in the backyard and lasted well into the spring due to the shade it got.

He isn’t expecting this year’s to last quite as long.

“I think it can hold up no problem for a week in this temperature, but it’s just not going to be as pretty,” said Gamblin.

In fact, the warm weather already forced Gamblin to move up his igloo sleepover by four days from the original Jan. 27 start. Athough the weather can be unpredictable, Gamblin is committed to completing his goal.

“Everyone has come together and really donated because I was supposed to make $10,000 and I did it," he told CTV News Edmonton. 

"Hey, let’s do $15,000 for another night.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson and Nahreman Issa