"Small town, I think everyone knows everyone. It's pretty cool that way," Kasey said.
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The 27-year-old long distance runner started taking the sport serious in 6th grade.
"Ran the fields of Caruthers. People would be like why is he doing that?" Kasey's parents Kristi and Mike said.
But when he started his freshman year at Immanuel high in Reedley.
The race was almost over.
"They didn't have a team. They didn't have a cross country team," Kristi and Mike said.
With the help of his coach Dave Lehrman, the two started the falcons' cross country program.
And Kasey became a regular at the California state championships.
"And he goes hey, when I pay for college you're going to be glad you bought all these shoes," Kristi and Mike said.
Accepting a full ride to Southern Utah, Kasey would thrive, becoming a first-team all American.
"Things really started to click for me," Kasey said.
After earning his masters as a grad transfer at Florida State.
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Kasey got the invite to become a professional with Under Armour's dark sky team in Flagstaff, Arizona.
"I'm lucky I get the opportunity to live up here and reap the benefits of thin air and training really hard from it," Kasey said.
From Flagstaff, to Santiago, Chile
Kasey qualified to represent team USA in both the 5000 and 1500 meter at last month's pan-am games.
"If you don't think you're going to win. You're never going to," Kasey said.
On the night of the men's 5k final, Kasey would get a taste of his first race on an international stage.
"A lot of times in races you can kind of get the energy from the crowd and the energy from the race so you have like this symbiotic of giving and taking energy," Kasey said.
An energy mom and dad watched from thousands of miles away.
"Okay he's back, but he's coming pretty hard and he kept closing and closing and I went he could do it, he could do it!" Kristi and Mike said.
"It's a very vulnerable sport that way. It's very honest. There's no hiding," Kasey said.
In a photo finish with Mexico's fernando martinez, replay would crown kasey the gold medal.
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"Getting thrown the American flag I'm like oh how do I hold it. Got to make sure it looks right can't have it backwards," Kasey said.
"American flag draped around him and the look of shock up on his face. It was just awesome," Kristi and Mike said. "Seeing your baby on the screen when they're playing the national anthem. That was really cool."
To Kasey, the medal is just a symbol of the hard work.
"A lot of people have similar ability i think the sport is a lot more dedication and consistency," Kasey said.
"A little kid from Caruthers if they work hard they can end up doing what they love," Kristi and Mike said.
With momentum at his back, the kid from Caruthers is eyeing next summer's Olympic Games in Paris.
"It would mean the world. It would be an experience with a lot of gratitude for sure. If this is as far as he goes, he's gotten to do what he loves so that's what's really cool," Kristi and Mike said. "We don't put that pressure on him. It's up to him. If he never runs another step, we're good."
But Kasey may have a few more laps to go.
"It's good to have the support and backing of helping and loving parents to say chase your dream and see what happens," Kasey said.
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