A message from Riding for Roger
In March of 2023, our family was devastated to receive the diagnosis of Bulbar ALS for my Dad. At that point, he had already lost his ability to speak for 6 months and was struggling to eat due to the impacts to his tongue and muscles involved with swallowing. In 12 short months, we painfully watched him lose function in every muscle of his body - leaving him only able to blink his eyes to yes or no questions. Through this painful experience, we found immense support and understanding through the Joan Dancy Foundation. They not only provided us with all the necessary equipment needed to care him 24/7, but resources for caregivers and above all emotional support through the darkest moments that come with this disease.
Despite his diagnosis, my Dad fought tooth and nail to the end. For those who have known him through the years, know he wasn't going down without a fight. During that time he spent his days building an addition on his home, putting his affairs in order while only being able to write for communication and giving all the tough love he had left to his three daughters. We are all on borrowed time, but when you know the clock is ticking faster - you get to living. As a family, we spent our days keeping patrol of the neighborhood from the porch, watching endless episodes on Netflix and trying laugh as much as we could in between the tears and pain. While those 63 years weren't nearly enough, he squeezed every last minute he had to show his family how much he loved them and that even when his physical body is gone, he will still be here right beside us.
It's well known that Roger had a huge love for motorcycles. He jumped on his Harley Davidson any chance he had. For this, I humbly ask you to join our team "Riding for Roger". We are participating in a fundraising event to continue support for the Joan Dancy Foundation that provided the vital assistance we needed through this whole experience. Whether you're ready to take the plunge with us, or consider donating to our team - any support you can offer provides honor to my Dad's memory.
On Saturday, February 8, 2025, hundreds of us from Monmouth County and beyond will choose to jump in icy ocean water as an act of solidarity with our local pALS (people with ALS) because they are conquering immensely greater fears every minute of every day.
The "plunge" we're asking you to make doesn't involve freezing cold water -- but it will make a big splash in the lives of our PALS. Simply click the "Donate" button above to make a secure online donation today.
Thanks for joining the family!
- Riding for Roger
