Veterans Helping Veterans

The recipient of our 2004 Honda VTX 1300 C is Doc Richard, a member of the Mushu Heimdall MC. An Army veteran who served as a combat medic, Doc is no stranger to ML-Gratitude. In 2020, he volunteered to mentor our inaugural bike recipient, A.J. Naylor, teaching him how to ride and connecting him with a wonderful community of veterans and bikers. As life would have it, Doc eventually found himself in need of a ride. We were truly honored to present this bike to him and hope it keeps him in the wind.

At this point, our giving is usually complete, but this day was something more...

Kim met Neil McCabe a few years back though her pool league.  Over that time Kim got to know Neil and learned that he is an Army veteran that served as a Squad Automatic Gunner with the 25th Infantry Division.  Neil faced the darkness in his service and on most days he is reminded of it.  On Memorial Day, Neil holds his own ceremony at Fort Logan National Cemetery to honor those that fell beside him.  Neil is a man of honor and although he's now a veteran, he still carries his team these many years later.  It is for these qualities that he was nominated to receive a motorcycle.  But, the motorcycle he will receive is no ordinary bike.  It may look like any other 2002 Honda VTX 1800 R, but this one is special.  This bike is the bike.  It's the one that started our nonprofit.  After Kim's original bike was stolen, Mark Lockman stepped up and donated this bike to Kim.  At the same time, her stolen bike was recovered, but badly chopped. Kim was so moved by Mark's gesture, that she and Mark Jester and several others worked together to restore her original bike so it could be given to another veteran in need. That was A. J. Naylor.  Let's watch the giveaways.

Neil had no idea that he would be receiving that bike. Kim had lent it to him to ride and she contacted his wife to make sure that he rode in this event.  Neil also brought his son and it happened to be his first ride ever!  He later said in a post on Facebook:

"What I wasn't expecting was that I was not only the recipient of a bike, but it was THE bike that started it all.  The VTX I had the privilege of riding that day.

It's not that a bike was presented to me that is special.  It was that the bike that I was honored with is the only one Kim swore she would never part with.  It carries so much meaning, so much purpose, and such a symbol of love and respect in our community.

The other part that was so special was that it wasn't just the usual motorcycle clubs that showed up.  I had a lot of friends there to support me personally as well as a few people I really didn't think that I made that much of an impression on.  I don't think of myself as special or deserving of such an honor."

Neil, this is exactly why you are the right person for that particular bike.  It just fits!  We hope that it can give you some peace of mind on the tough days.

It was a beautiful day for a ride and it was a day that I hope helped some to think about what our veterans go though to allow us to keep the freedom we enjoy.  They take the cuts and carry the scars that keep the rest of us safe at home.  They carry those wounds, both seen and unseen, for the rest of their lives.  We can only hope to recognize their pain and let them know that we are here to help them carry that load, even if in some small way of giving a veteran a way to get out out their head for a little while. 

To date, we have given wind therapy to 22 veterans and wa hope to keep doing it for years to come!  Thank you to everyone who supports the cause of healing veterans.  Special thanks to Veterans MC for your commitment to this cause.  Keep the rubber on the road!

You have our Gratitude...