I am a native Texan, born and raised in Plano, Texas. I studied biology at UT Austin (2009) and now attend law school at UC Berkeley. I am so grateful for my mom, dad, sister, and brother in-law, who have been an encouragement to me all these years and have shaped me into the man I am today. I will always make time for good conversation with a friend or stranger. I enjoy a good book when I have the time, and I love learning new things. In my spare time, I mess around on the piano or kick back to some country music.

I expect fighting cancer to be a long and strenuous challenge (and to seem hopeless at times). I expect many people think about giving up, and I am certain many people do. Frankly, that notion really saddens me-- not because I have never given up on anything before (I have), but because looking back I have always wondered what may have happened had I pushed a little further.

More often than we may think, we all need to be encouraged to press on, because the hope of conquering this disease is worth the fight, and cancer patients need to know that they can conquer it-—we believe in them. Without the encouragement I received from my parents, coaches, professors, and total strangers, I certainly would not have graduated from UT and pursued a law degree, aspiring to make a positive contribution to our world. A quote one of my mentors told me over the summer while I was studying abroad is one I try to follow closely: “Bless others with what you’ve been blessed with.” I have been loved, encouraged, and cared for all my life, and now it’s my turn to return the favor.

If my riding a bicycle 4,500 miles inspires one person to hope on and push through, then this ride is more than worth it.