Profile

About: Hey! I am a freshman Physics major born and raised in Austin, TX. If you spend any amount of time with me you'll know that I love the outdoors. I like hiking, biking, running and fishing -- really anything to get me outside -- and I'm excited to be biking to Alaska for cancer research and awareness!

Why I Ride

It has been estimated by the American Cancer Society that the total number of people who died of cancer in 2015 is around 590,000. On June 22nd , 2015, my grandfather became a part of that total, passing of stage IV melanoma.

The bond I shared with my grandfather was built around our shared love of antique and rare coinage. It was odd after his passing to no longer have anyone to talk to about coin collecting; the little coins he would give me whenever I’d see him really meant a lot to me.

Ever since his passing, my hobby of coin collecting has almost been paralyzed. Something had been simply uprooted – I felt what can only be described as a peculiar emptiness whenever I’d go through the collection of coins I’d amassed. The exact feeling I had was captured very well in something my mother told me, who’d been significantly more impacted by his passing: “I keep expecting his weekly call and keep having to remind myself that it’s not coming.”

Other members of my moms family were recently diagnosed with melanoma as well (thankfully caught early and treated), and as a result my mom’s dermatologist told her that the possibility of melanoma was no longer a question of if but when. So I'm riding for them. For my grandfather who lost his battle; for the other diagnosed family members, who must live with the threat of recurrence; and for my mom, who had to watch her father succumb to cancer and deal with the knowledge she may one day have to fight a similar battle. I ride for my paternal grandmother, an extremely strong woman who I never got a chance to meet as she was taken by pancreatic cancer before I was born. I ride for each any every one of you that has been affected by cancer. If there is someone you would like me to ride for, message me with your story. Thank you!