About Me

Profile

About: Hey guys,
My name is Adrian Rios, I am a Rhetoric&Writing major and Advertising minor at UT. I was born right here in Austin, Texas and grew the rest of my years in Pflugerville, Texas.
My older brother, Alex Rios and I are first generation Texans and proud. My entire family is from Puerto Rico, so I like to say I grew up with the best of both worlds. Half Texan half islander.
I truly enjoy the little things. My favorite part of most days are when I finish cooking a plate full of food and I can sit down with whatever I'm currently watching on Netflix.
As much as I love stuffing my face and watching a movie, I also enjoy any activity synonymous with the word "adventure."
There are few things/people I hold very close to my heart; my mother-the strongest person I know, my father-the most caring man on this planet, my brother, a well-meaning pain in the ass, Willie- my not so graceful yet lovable family dog...and now Texas 4000. I have trouble expressing in words how fortunate I feel to be a part of this amazing organization. The people, the mission, and the journey are now amongst my list of things I care most about in the world. I can't wait for what the future holds.

Why I Ride

Cancer has an incredible ripple effect. It affects the person diagnosed, their loved ones and on. My family has lost a number of relatives from cancer whom I never had the pleasure of getting to know. Yet these relatives are fathers, mothers, siblings and friends to people I hold very dear to me. My relationship with cancer has been that of a support system. I ride for those in need of hope or simply a shoulder to rest their head on. I ride for you.

The first moment I head of Texas 4000, I knew this was an organization I wanted to be apart of. After attending my first info session, I knew this was an organization I needed to be a part of. There were endless "Aha!" moments and realizations of why this was a journey I needed to embark on.
One of the most powerful moments was during an info session when a 2016 rider spoke about MDAnderson cancer center in Houston, Tx. She explained how Texas 4000 frequently donates to MDAnderson and how we have an established relationship with the hospital.

In March 2012, the doctors and nurses at MDAnderson saved my mothers life.

My mom is easily the most important person in my world. I cannot begin to express how immensely proud I am to have someone like her in my life.

In 2012 we discovered she had a brain tumor. The tumor was located where the spinal cord meets the brain. It had gone undetected for four years and as a result grew large enough to wrap around a core artery. Due to the placement and size of the tumor, many Doctors deemed the tumor inoperable and told her to prepare her loved ones for her passing.

It wasn't until we met Dr. Franco De Monte at MDAnderson that we felt hope. He refused to give up on my mom and despite the fact that a procedure like hers had never been performed before, he took her case.

In May 2012 my mom had brain surgery.

And in May 2012 my mom had a successful brain surgery.

The most important person in my world is alive today because of the incredible staff at MDAnderson.
Texas 4000 provides me with endless opportunities to serve our mission of charity, knowledge, and hope. It also offers me the opportunity to thank and show my appreciation to MDAnderson for all of the lives they touch.
I ride for hope.