A Bit About FAmily!

I just spent one of the most amazing days of my life in and around the Davis area of California today – participating in Ride Ataxia Nor-Cal, 2011.

It was amazing because of the people I spent the day with. I realized a little more today just how important, irreplaceable, and how incredibly inspirational people are. I was reminded of how vital relationships are to the journey of life as well! How, at times, they are the life-blood that keeps us going when we don’t want to go anymore. We have all been created for relationship – authentic, transparent, real, fun, and light-hearted, but bone-deep relationships!

Today, I spent time with a couple hundred members of my FAmily! (The F and the A are both capitalized on purpose – identifying the Friedreichs Ataxia community and those a part of that huge extended family). Some I met for the first time, and some I’ve known for a few years – all important, encouraging, and inspirational to me. All loved ones to one degree or another.

There are three distinctively different “roles” everyone plays in this FAmily; 1) An FA patient, 2) Those Related to an FA patient, and 3) Committed Friends of an FA patient. Each member is extremely important!

I love meeting other FA patients! Of course, it’s heart breaking to meet another individual whose quality of life and the extent of life itself has been jeopardized and threatened. However, it’s equally encouraging and inspiring to see these fellow patients push on, thrive, and tackle their life with incredible tenacity and vigor. It’s these determined individuals that constantly inspire me to live my life at full tilt! Its people like Sam Bridgman that make me smile and laugh, no matter what the weather, terrain, grade, or road condition may be. He’s the guy I can think about, talk to, or even just look at and my entire outlook suddenly becomes one of feeling “happy.” Not necessarily because I am happy, but because that’s his persona no matter what drama, turmoil, pain, or unfortunate ‘thing’ is going on in his life! His smile and laugh are insanely contagious. Its other patients like Ashly Hartigan that despite the required use of a wheelchair and assistance when that isn’t around, decides to push herself on the elliptical for more than a mile! Of course, it’s also people like Kyle Bryant that defies all odds, and looks ridiculous challenges in the face and says, “Yeah, I can do that, I will do that, and I’m going to bring a lot of people along for the ride!”

I also love meeting and being around those related to FA patients – especially the parents! My Mom is an incredible support for me! She’s seen and lived through ugly and life-ending battles with torturous diseases, and she never quits! She doesn’t show doubt, discouragement, fear, or the slightest hint of “I’m not so sure you should try that.” Instead, she pushes, just like all the other FA Moms to fight with every ounce and fiber of my being, to take care of myself, and to never look back (not just because it’s dangerous for me to look to the rear when I’m cycling, but also because we can’t change the past)! The Moms and the Dads, the brothers and sisters, the grandparents, the aunts and uncles – its these people that will agree to volunteer, to work, to ride, to climb, to carry, to lead, to serve, to take pictures, and to encourage and hug at every event, every struggle, every challenge, every time – no questions asked!

Another important role is the one that our valued friends hold. These are the people that choose to believe in us for reasons we may never know! We are high maintenance, we always need help, we are always tired, and we are picky about what works and what doesn’t. Despite all that, they play along! They strap on their helmets, click in their cleats, and they pedal alongside us. They make us laugh, they keep our mind off the challenge, and they put us back on course when something causes us to fall. They remind us of our embarrassing moments and they laugh at us all the while – keeping our spirits high and positive, reminding us that we are the ones that inspire others to take action and join or cause movements. They give up time with their families, sacrifice Saturday mornings, spend the money to travel to our events, and take time off of work to go along! Its people like Brian Wagner and Jeremy Patin that join the cause because they believe in it! People like John Lockwood that create a force on our behalf (he also helps us get back on the bike and moving again when we are stopped in the middle of a climb!). People like Mike Gore that will go any distance, Blake Andrews that shows up at everything and creates amazing photographic tokens, Curtis Smith and Brandon Kauffman who believe in us, our efforts, and our friendships!

This FAmily fuels so much more than they will ever know. They push all of us to win this fight for our lives! They are our inspiration, no doubt about it!

I love this FAmily, and I am honored to be a part of it!
Cheers to every single individual that plays a part, any part, in it!