Profile

About: When I remember home, I remember running barefoot around my family’s farm, sneaking into the field to pick corn off the stalk before it was ripe, and being introduced to the best sliced brisket sandwiches Texas has to offer. I have an amazing mother who has imparted on me what it means to be kind and a father who has shown me how to work hard for what I want. Together they have taught me that anything is possible. I have an older sister who doubles as my best friend and three precious beagles whose pictures dominate my instagram feed. I love camping, coffee shops, and all things chocolate. I am ridiculously proud of the fact that I can drive a tractor. Anything that'll put me near water will put a smile on my face, but swimming holds a special place in my heart. I swam competitively for five years and through the sport met many extraordinary people who continue to influence my life.

I am lucky enough to be currently living out my dreams, pursuing a degree in elementary education at the best school in the world and I cannot wait for the day when I can introduce my own bunch of five year olds to the joys of learning.

Why I Ride

I ride to give those affected by cancer a community, to show them that they are not alone. I ride for every person that has lost a loved one to cancer or is currently fighting. I ride for all the beautiful angels who will be watching over our team as we bike to Alaska. I ride because I know first hand how it feels to hear that someone you love has cancer. I ride so that no one else ever has to know that feeling.

I grew up with cancer, even though I didn't know exactly what it was. To my childish ears, cancer was the dark cloud that loomed over my family, the monster under the bed. As I got older, I was able to better understand what cancer was and what it had taken from us. I ride for my family~ for all the Brunos that have ever been diagnosed and so that all the generations to come can live their entire lives without hearing the word cancer.

I ride for my granny, Toni, who died of oral cancer when I was in kindergarten. An amazing cook and an even better baker, my granny’s home always smelled like Christmas and was every child’s dream. She kept rice krispies treats on bedside tables and let my sister and me watch Disney Princess movies while we ate breakfast. I distinctly remember hiding under the dinner table, tickling her feet and causing trouble, giggling joyously every time she kept my hiding place a secret. She knew just how to be the perfect grandmother. I think of her every time I step into the kitchen and I can't wait for the day when we can bake together again.

I ride for my Aunt Carol who clearly inherited her mother's loveliness and talent for cooking. A beautiful woman with a wonderful smile, she spoils me in a way that would make any grandmother proud.

Most of all, I ride for my parents. My father, Peter Bruno, is everything anyone could ever ask for in a dad. He’s my best friend and my hero. By watching him, I have learned how to handle life’s curveballs with dignity and strength. My daddy was first diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in December 2006 and again with prostate cancer in 2010. He handled the diagnosis and treatment with the same dignity and courage he modeled in all other situations, never complaining or loosing hope. My Dad will have been in remission for four years this December. Although his sense of determination undoubtedly played a critical role in this victory, my mother’s role might have been even more important. My mother was a pillar of strength throughout the experience. Trained as a medical doctor, my mother often went to bat for what she believed to be the smartest course of treatment for my father, refusing to accept anything less than the best. She drove him to doctor’s appointments and chemotherapy sessions, scoured clothing stores for the most comfortable track suits, and made the tastiest soups for when Daddy couldn't quite handle solid foods. Through all this, my mother cared for me and my sister, always making sure we had what we needed. She was our doctor, therapist, chef, and friend. My mother is the glue that holds our family together. I ride for my parents, the ones that have taught me how to live and whom I cannot imagine living without.