SAN ANTONIO – More than 120 veterans and supporters are riding their bikes from San Antonio to Fort Worth, a 400 mile trek, all for a good cause. KSAT's Max Massey spoke to veterans about the ride.
What is the point of the bike ride?
It’s called the UnitedHealthcare Texas Challenge and it benefits Project Hero, a nonprofit that helps veterans and first responders recover from injury, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. It is meant to be a non-competitive, therapeutic 400 miles.
“A lot of our veterans have gone beyond the treatments at the hospitals and they find this is a way to enjoy life,” said Neil Campbell, one of the founders of the ride.
What goes into the ride?
There are more than 120 riders who started Monday morning at 8 a.m., and they ride through the week.
Through the ride the veterans and supporters stop at various attractions, civic centers, hotels and historical locations.
Have veterans and local responders seen success with the ride?
Several veterans dealing with various types of injuries and PTSD said the challenge has made a huge impact on their lives.
Robert Gray was a firefighter who responded to the Pentagon after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He served his years and after retirement, fell 16-feet off a ladder and suffered a traumatic brain injury. At first Gray was paralyzed on one side of his body, but now he is riding upright and strong.
“Right now I have a 3-D printed skull piece that goes from here to there and my recovery was very difficult and that’s when I met, then called, Ride to Recovery, now Project Hero,” said Gray.
Can I still get involved?
Project Hero said local veterans are invited to ride on a single-day basis for a per-day registration fee. If you are interested in taking part, you can register and view daily routes: ProjectHero.org.