I am super stoked to tell you about this year's 2024 ride and to once again thank all who contributed last year as we blasted past my 2023 goal!
Most of you know my blood related brush with death less than two years ago. I was struck by a massive blood clot that traveled to my lungs and lodged on the saddle branch, almost cutting off blood flow between my heart and my lungs. I was terrified, could hardly breath, and found it almost impossible to move. Lucky for me, the Great June Lindner got me downstairs after what seemed like an eternity of half steps, and she drove me to Brooke Army Medical Center. When I was wheeled in, I was seen by one doctor, who ordered an immediate Cat scan. When I was wheeled back to the ER, there were four doctors there. I'll spare you the details, but by the grace of God and a stint in the ICU, I was cleared to go home.
As I was preparing to go the morning of departure, the principle doctor who treated me came to visit. At the end of the chat, I asked him how close I came to death. He said, and I quote: "Yours is the biggest pulmonary embolism I have ever seen, if your wife hadn't brought you in that morning, you wouldn't have made it to the afternoon." He also told me that a huge contributing factor was that I was otherwise in great physical shape and had a strong heart. And I can tell you that I got that way due to Orangetheory Fitness and cycling. And this is why I'm stoked to participate in an event that connects my love for cycling with a fund raiser for blood disorders!
This year my goal is $1500, which is $500 more than last year's $1000 goal. The reason is that our team has expanded the ride to not only do the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath down to Washington DC, but to a day on the GAP trail, the Great Allegheny Passage trail. The overall logistics of the ride are managed by the experienced and talented Tom Knoerzer and my daily riding buddy is once again the indominable Ashley Hall We did the 2023 ride together and the first day was all sunshine but the last days were pushing through Tropical Storm Ophelia! Rain rain rain and mud mud mud! But because of our fundraising commitment we rode every single mile! We pushed on! And I hope you guys will help me push on towards this year's fundraising goal!
Thank you from the bottom of my miraculously restored heart!
Save One Life is a nonprofit organization working to provide people with the tools they need to overcome living with a bleeding disorder and in poverty. We work in 14 developing countries to provide direct financial assistance, and sometimes life-saving factor, to people living in challenging conditions.
With assistance from Save One Life, people with a bleeding disorder, or their families, can improve their future by having a better quality of life, the ability to start or grow a small business, access to higher education, and camps.
