This veteran came to us to see if we could assist him with the purchase of a recumbent bike, as he very much wanted to engage in bike riding. He indicated that he had been trying to find funding for such an apparatus through other resources, but had been unsuccessful. Due to the cost of the bike, he could not afford to purchase one of his own.
The veteran was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps and because of his visible and invisible injuries, he has been unable to sustain employment. We asked the veteran to visit a local bike store, where the owner assisted him with special fittings that accommodated his injuries. With funding from the Bob Woodruff Foundation and financial assistance from two other non-profit organizations, QoLF acquired the full cost of the bike. The store owner provided some additional fixtures for the bike at no cost, and now this veteran is riding with comfort and ease. We received the following email from the veteran once it arrived:
“Guess what? I GOT MY BIKE! THANK YOU A MILLION …today I escorted my daughter to school on my bike and I rode it for 10 miles after that. That thing rides like a Cadillac and doesn’t put any stress on my injuries … I really like it and my kids like it too. I have a new duty … to pick up my daughter at school!!”
We were fortunate to be able to help this veteran get a bike that not only will allowed him to exercise and socialize with other veterans on their rides, but also allows this activity to occur without discomfort! He deserves that Cadillac of a bike!