Merriam-Webster defines a hero as an individual who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities. Oxford defines a hero as an individual who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. Finally, Cambridge defines a hero as an individual admired for bravery, great achievements or good qualities.
Can you pick up on anything similar in all of those? Admiration, courage, bravery, accomplishments and noble qualities all stick out as they're repeated again and again. But to me, heroism runs deeper. It runs deeper into an individual in the notion of total regard for others. True heros are people that go out of their way to support and assist others in all they do.
Over the past seven days, I was given the opportunity to ride across the state of New York with just a couple of these heroes. In one of the most emotional and trying adventures that I've undertaken, I found myself going into the week with a lot of strange and diverse people and leaving surrounded by a family so strong, it's indescribable.
When the week first began, it was evident that every individual in the group was nervous. Nervous not only for the riding, but for the idea of being vulnerable. Tears curled in the corners of every eye as we wrote the names of those we ride for on cards to carry along in our jerseys. Our ride director began with the quote "A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions." By Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. and I believe that none of us will ever revert back to who we used to be.
The inspiration truly came from the people involved and there were a few that stuck out to me. Terry, the visionary behind the ride, is one of the greatest people I know. The dedication, strength and motivation that drives him are unmatched in anything else. Often overcome with emotion, he played a huge role in organizing the ride itself and was able to lead us into the finish line. There's nobody else that deserves as much recognition as he does. Kara, a Roswell employee, lost her husband while riding last year. I still cannot wrap my head around the strength it takes to come back and ride again. Always one of the first to congratulate you or to crack a joke, Kara is truly in a league of her own. Even after developing a nerve issue and all but losing the ability to move her right hand, she still kept pushing on. Danielle, is a trooper in her own right. I didn't have the opportunity to really meet Danielle, however I did get to watch her for the week. Trying to rid your body of chemo is one thing, but to do it on a bicycle in the middle of New York is an entirely new caliber of strength.
Carlos, however, was by far one of my largest inspirations. Being a diabetic is a challenge enough yet Carlos chose to become a cyclist. Becoming a cyclist is hard enough yet Carlos chose to join the Empire State Ride. Joining the Empire State Ride was hard enough yet Carlos chose to bring a friend along and carry him mile after mile, slowly spreading his ashes throughout the trip. Often the first out of camp and nearly always the last into camp, Carlos is the embodiment of the meaning behind the word inspiration.
"We embraced the memories of the loved ones we’ve lost that led us to this adventure. We celebrated the courage of those who have faced and are still fighting their disease. We shared our stories. We shared tears.
We cycled 532 miles across New York State and crossed the finish line – not as 60 strangers fighting for a cause, but as a new family connected by hope. When we parted ways from Niagara Falls, we no longer had a common destination but a shared knowledge that we had made a difference in the fight against cancer." -- Terry Bourgeois
Coming into the last few days, I started to truly feel what the ride was for. I found myself riding as hard as I could to get into a zone where I could just let my mind go and reflect on those I was riding for. It was here that the reflection upon what Cancer has done, really came forward. We ride for those who can't. We ride for those we've lost. We ride for those who are fighting everyday in the battle against cancer.
To the moments we shared together, the memories we made, the family we created... I can honestly say that I love all of my ESR family. There is truly no words to describe the impact you've all made.
