May 24th, Inspiring Day before Ride Begins
Day 5, Studio City, CA
Today we traveled almost three hours to an event in Sherman Oaks. Neise of our good friend and fraternity brother, Bob Anderegg, helped organize an event for us to speak at Leeza’s Place. Here we were able to interact with Alzheimer patients and those who have been somehow affected by the disease.
In our time here we somewhat refound what the ride across America was all about. It is not about the adventure or the publicity, but instead it is bring hope to all those affected by Alzheimer’s. I sat next to a woman who had brought her father in to the clinic to help him in his classes of brain exercising that Leeza’s Place orchestrates. The man’s name was Hal and he kept saying that his crown achievement in life was his daughter whom was next to me. I could tell they had a very deep and special relationship. I watched the woman as she read the story of Tyler’s Grandpa and she began to cry. I could only imagine what was going through her head. The fear of her father forgetting who his pride and joy was, or seeing a once lively and good humored man succumb to the torture of his own mind. I then realized, this woman finds hope in what we do.
All the riders left with a true sense of refreshment and we were all inspired. We reflected upon our time there in the car ride home.
I cant believe that the ride I had been talking about with my friend Tyler since last summer was coming up the next day. The true adventure begins tomorrow so stay tuned for the stories to come.
In His Adventure,
Chaz Vittitow
