The Great Cycle Challenge started twelve years ago. I have been a rider each year. During that time, only two participants have ever raised $50,000 or more. I am so grateful to my donors that this year I became just the third rider to reach that level.
Yesterday, I rode my bike for the first time since the accident. It is interesting how our minds work. I used to get a great feeling when hopping on the bike, This time I felt trepidation and uneasiness. Clipping my cleats into the pedals brought about a fear of being "tied" to the bike. Would I be able to get out of the pedals should I need to? It was never a thought that crossed my mind before. I felt wobbly on the bike, like a kid just learning. Whereas before, I was confident and would maneuver fearlessly. Here I am passing through a set of gates similar to the ones I hit back on September 1st.
My wife is a psychologist, which I joke is why I am so well adjusted. When I mentioned my reaction to that first ride to her, she said it was understandable. I had been through a very traumatic experience.
I could only imagine a parent's reaction to a situation that brought back the traumatic memory of losing a child to cancer. For instance, what emotions did they feel when entering the child's room after losing them?
Then I thought of my visit with Niko's parents. My wife and I had brunch at their home in Burlington, VT, before we all participated in a LEGO drop at the Children's Hospital. They invited us into Niko's room and showed us many of Niko's favorite things: his scouting awards, countless LEGO sets, the map with all of the National Parks that he had visited and those he had planned to visit in the future, the autographed football helmet he received from the Minnesota Vikings and much more.
I am sure the sense of loss was still there for them. However, as they showed these artifacts of their child's life, I could sense the joy they held in their hearts for the child that was no longer with them.
Today is Niko's birthday. The first since his passing. His parents have invited Niko's friends over to celebrate and share stories and memories of him. I am sure it will be a bitter sweet gathering. I hope more laughs than tears.
I will do my second bike ride this afternoon. Niko's picture will accompany me, just as it has on each of my walks. Will the sense of trepidation still be present as I ride? We shall see.
What I do know is that no parent should have to lose a child to cancer, which is why I will ride and hope my efforts will continue to encourage others to donate to this cause.
Today is Niko's birthday. The first since his passing. I found a picture of Niko eating my favorite food - Mexican! I had AI add a birthday cupcake and banner to it. I am sure this will be an emotion filled day for his family and those who close to him. His life ended much too soon. Thank you for helping to fund the research needed to find better treatments.
I wore my LEGO socks (as a tribute to Niko's Eagle Scout project) on my 12.2 mile walk. Unlike stepping on a actual LEGO piece - ouch! - I did 33,472 steps in relative comfort during the nearly four hour hike.
Niko's legacy continues as another 300 Lego sets are dropped off at the Children's Hospital in Burlington, VT. I travelled from Philadelphia with LEGO sets that I purchased to match the $6.11 donations made to the Great Cycle Challenge. The LEGOs filled nine wagons! They will be given to kids, who like Niko had been, are being treated at the hospital. Niko's mom, dad and sister are all involved in scouting. (Can you spot me in my orange GCC t-shirt? I am wearing the Troop 611 neckerchief that I was given when I was named an honorary member of the Troop.)
I travelled to Burlington, VT to participate in the LEGO drop-off at the Children's Hospital. Niko's family invited me and my wife to join them for brunch before the drop-off. After brunch, Heather (mom), Alex (dad), Ella (Niko's sister) went for a short walk along the Lake Champlain. The wind was blowing hard making it feel much colder. However, meeting Niko's family was a heartwarming experience.
There are so many "connections" in this year's Great Cycle between me and Niko.
1. I saw a story about Niko's cancer battle in a Eagle Scout Facebook Group. (I am an Eagle Scout).
2. Niko's Eagle Scout project was collecting LEGO sets to give to patients at the Children's Hospital were he had been treated. (I collect Pez dispenser's and this year's giveaway at a Pez convention was a LEGO inspired dispenser.)
3. Only 4% of all scouts earn the rank of Eagle Scout. (Only 4% of all federal cancer research funding is allocated to childhood cancers.)
4. On my very first ride of the Challenge, I had an accident and am undergoing physical therapy on my neck and shoulders. (Niko's mother is a cooperative owner of a physical therapy business and is also certified therapist for cranio-sacral massage.)
5. Niko had brain cancer. (Several years ago I rode for a high school classmate's granddaughter who also had brain cancer. She survived and was asked to prom by a boy named Niko.)
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia had a fundraising walk scheduled that was washed out by heavy rain. A large group of participants decided to go the King of Prussia Mall to do their walk. I happened to be doing one of my PT walks there. When they saw the t-shirt I was wearing, they stopped to thank me for my donations of blood and platelets. They too know how important these fluids are to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Please donate either if you are eligible. It costs nothing other than your time.
Fundraising for the GCC will officially end at the end of October. I think it would be a wonderful gesture have donations of $6.11 made during this time period. Why, because that was Niko's troop number. A donation of that amount would be a tribute to Niko and the troop that supported him while he dealt with his cancer.
Fellow PEZ dispenser collector, Larry Mason, learned of the story behind the boy I am honoring in this year’s Great Cycle Challenge. Niko, who lost his fight with brain cancer, was an Eagle Scout, a huge Minnesota Vikings fan, and had a special connection to LEGO sets.
Larry created a special “LEGO set” for me to send to his family. The BSA shirts were created by assembling individual pieces, just like LEGO structures. The BSA stands for Boy Scouts of America. The stems are appropriately red, white and blue. The Eagle Scout dispenser has a glow in the dark stem, as earning that rank is a “glowing” achievement. Just 4% of all scouts reach the rank of Eagle. And then of course there is the purple and gold color scheme. These are the colors of Niko’s beloved Vikings with the final touch being their mascot sitting atop a its own purple stem.
