About Me

Profile

About:

My name is Alexandria Webb. Since my first name is a tad on the long side, everyone calls me Alex. I was born in Katy, Texas, but most of my formative years were spent in a small town named Willis. I was blessed with a wonderful family that thrives off of love, support, and a dash of drama (but, come on, what family doesn't get a little sassy?). I was raised by a hard-working single mother and an incredible strong older sister; each of whom taught me something I hold with me each day. My mother taught me what sacrifice, humility, and work ethic really are and my sister showed me how to be a strong, independent woman who never settles for complacency. Having a single mother left a gap in my life that my Uncle Rick happily filled. He showed me what love, compassion, and really awful jokes can do for you. I am the woman I am today because of those three.

“To achieve anything, you must be prepared to dabble on the boundary of disaster.” I stumbled upon this quote by Stirling Moss when I was talking to a passing stranger who handed me a slip of paper with this printed on the front. Little did he know, that this quote would solidify my thoughts on how to live life. After seeing lives being ripped away by cancer, depression, and so forth, I wouldn't let fear of failure or disaster stop me from accomplishing anything. I guess that is part of the reason why hopping on a bike and riding across the country with 90 other college students to raise money for cancer research appealed to me so much. If we can make a difference, even a small one at that, the chance of failure is not enough to persuade us otherwise.

To sum it up, I am a Christian, a third year marine biology major, a peace-seeking environmentalist, an avid reader, and someone entirely captivated by the thought of ending cancer. I never felt completely at home in Texas, until I found my way to Austin where I fell into an amazing group of cancer fighters who I can only describe as kindred spirits. I know this is one thing I was meant to do in this life.

Why I Ride

I ride for my uncle, Rick Rouse. He was the father figure I never had and one of my biggest role models to this day. I think I could best describe my uncle in three ways: a free-spirit, a surfer, and a man who devoted his life to his faith. My uncle moved at a pace slower than most. He didn't feel the need to rush through life. He savored every single minute. One of his favorite singers, Jack Johnson, sums it up best in his song, "Inaudible Melodies." He flowed where the wind blew him spreading his laughter and his jokes all along the way. Rick was a surfer all of his life and he loved to share that passion with anyone with an ear. Lastly, his faith was a foundation in his life. His steady walk with God is what helped me become a stronger Christian. He just loved on anyone he could. While at MDA during his treatments, he would go and chat with someone who was sitting by themselves because he wanted everyone to feel loved.

Now don't get me wrong, all of the above is completely true, but my uncle also took it upon himself to give me wet willies weekly, throw dead bugs at me when I least expected it, and tickle me until I could not move. While I shutter at the thought of another wet willy, those were some of my fondest memories. He happily took on a fatherly role for me and his daughter became another sister, nothing less. He came to all my basketball games, gave me advice on boys, and let me drive his huge truck.

When we found out he had stage 4 Squamous Cell Carcinoma, our whole family was in shock. As he became weaker, he moved in with my mother and I. I watched this once strong man become a shadow of what he once was. Despite the fact that he lost his ability to speak coherently due to surgery, lost his thick brown hair, and his skin grew gray, he still beamed with hope for the future. He still made the same jokes, teased my mom and I, and played with his dogs. He would always say that he would surf again. While the cancer took my Uncle from this earth, his hopefulness remained inside me. I want to spread that hope to everyone affected by cancer. I want to help bring a future where cancer doesn't take the ones we love. That's why I ride: for every father who couldn't walk his daughter down the isle and for every grandparent who didn't get to see their grandchildren grow up. I ride for my uncle, for all the others fighting, their families, and the many selfless caregivers. So please, ride with me.