About Me

Profile

About: I am a born and raised Texan who has bled burnt orange for as long as I can remember. Having grown up in San Antonio, I have a love for Tex-Mex, hot weather, and the San Antonio Spurs.

Being active has always been an important part of my identity whether it is playing a game of pick-up basketball at the gym or racing a triathlon. It's great to be in Austin where the community is so supportive of staying active and where there is always something to look forward to.

Why I Ride

Although I am fortunate to not have many personal experiences with cancer, I have seen how it can affect people and the loved ones who support them through the eyes and words of friends and family close to me. Throughout college, my older sister has been a big part of Camp Kesem, a camp for children who are affected by parent’s cancer, and hearing the stories of these children was inspirational. I was amazed at how well these children seemed to be handling their situations, and it was because the camp had given them hope and a community that strengthened them through empathy.

In the face of adversity and hardship, I think the most important thing is to have hope. With hope people find strength, and the will to continue fighting. I come from a very tight-knit community in San Antonio, and I remember watching everyone pulling together to support my childhood friend's mother as she fought her way through her battle with breast cancer. Although we couldn’t directly be involved in the healing process, we were fighting with her and supporting her through every step of her recovery. Through this experience, I learned that hope can come from family members, friends, or even a group of students who have biked across the country.

In Texas 4000, we have the opportunity to make a real impact in the field of cancer research in addition to spreading hope and support. Through charity, we can directly contribute to the search for a cure. I have hope that one day a future Texas 4000 rider will be able to stand up and say that they, too, know someone who survived their battle against cancer because of the contributions we have made as a team. I am a part of Texas 4000 because it allows me to spread hope, support and community. I ride for happy endings.