Arrival and Visitation at
HealthSouth Treasure Coast Rehab Hospital
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Arrival and Visitation at
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WE HAVE ARRIVED
The last group picture of the last ride in from the assembly area.
The HealthSouth patients were told that a gorilla and a mouse would be riding bicycles into the facility. Expectantly they wait...step by step... slowly they turned...
To see Cliff and Joe instead. The disappointment in the crowd was clearly visible.
Joe greets Margaret, a week old Below the Knee amputee who is not younger than 75, is doing great and has the right attitude to prove it.
Joe disappoints the crowd with his new balloon dance routine, so he thanks HealthSouth for all that they do for AAA instead.
Vero Beach Mayor, Tom White declares July 25th Amputees Across America Day in Vero Beach, Florida. Unfortunately, all of Cliff's traffic citations for following Joe to closely, were forwarded to Vero Beach from 19 other localities causing Joe to review all interstate extradition agreements before officially closing the 2007 ride.
Jim DeLong, alumnus from the 2003 and 2005 AAA rides talks with Carole. Carole smiles and wonders what kind of self respecting man would be caught dead riding a Harley trike when he could be riding a bicycle with the likes of Abel, Cliff, and Joe. Jim, having lost all his self esteem by wearing Spandex bike shorts, in 2003 and 2005, can only shake his head and look forlorn.
Abel talks the good talk to a bilateral AK and BK patient.
While Cliff tries to make a steeple with his hands as a patient plays an imaginary piano.
Carole touched out hearts as few other patients have done during the course of our ride. She has somehow tapped into an inner spirit that overcomes all adversity and has been shown a path that few are chosen to travel. She is that rare individual who has captured the essence of life and gift of giving to others. Carole we wish you well and know that we will see you doing great things in the care of patients and those hurting in need. We look forward to seeing you, your new animal therapist and our angel of therapy, Candy in 2010. Thank you HealthSouth for all that you do every single day of the year to give patients back a spirit of living and for the miracles performed by the therapists and medical staff. You more than anyone else are the true heroes who touch the lives and hearts of thousands of patients entrusted in your care. As we finish the 2007 ride, we leave all of HealthSouth with the words of Bill Lynch, an Irish gentleman and patient of HealthSouth: Bless this house and all who dwell within.
POSTSCRIPT This day marks the close of the ride for 2007. And like
so many things that alter and transform our lives, completing this journey
leaves us the bitterness of regret and the And sometimes it is hard, so very hard. But the only way out is to push through the pain of being away from family and the physical stresses of riding, and the emotional highs and lows in reaching out to patients, have taken their toll over the past 60 days. But, we did it and survived, and did it together. The three of us met as strangers but out of adversity have forged a brotherhood for life, tempered by the resilience and courage of those we have met along the way. The journey was as much about the friendship and affection for each other as it was about the miles. Helping each other along the way, supporting each other in good and bad times. It was indeed a unique and life changing journey, one we will never forget. It is the bond of brotherhood we formed that will allow us to continue our quest for challenges that test our limits, but always with the passion for living life to it's fullest. We are fortunate men to have had the opportunity to ride across the country and meet so many wonderful people, patients and care givers alike. And to those, whose spirit and passion for life touched us deeply and helped us so many times along our journey, we will never forget you. Each and every one of you shared your heart and made your spirit a part of our own. We began this ride with a focus on how we could benefit from this journey. Yet, at some point along the way, we were shown that the journey has little to do with us. Instead we each have felt our journey as a celebration not of life as it is, but a celebration of what life could be if we choose to live it. We have each gained an appreciation for the indomitable human spirit as evidenced in the courage, determination, and single-minded struggle of patients to overcome all obstacles. We will never forget you and never forget the lesson that you taught each of us, that we may have lost our legs but never our hearts or spirit. You showed us the character of your courage and we all have a debt to repay that goes far beyond what we could ever hope to achieve in our lifetimes. But the human spirit demands that we try. And to Cliff, Beas, and Abel, we have shared something that is very precious. Though the time we shared together on the road was just one small speck of sand on the beach that is the fabric of our lives, we have grown, we have learned, and we have survived to open our hearts to who we are and the challenge of what we can be. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...
AMPUTEES ACROSS AMERICA 2007
JOE SAPERE
CLIFFORD AND ANNIE CLARK
ABEL CRUZ GOD BLESS YOU ALWAYS, FOR THE PERSON YOU HAVE COME TO BE.. PEACE BE THE JOURNEY
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sweetness of relief. We end it with
relief; that the daily routine of packing bags, loading the trailer, riding in a
vehicle, pushing the pedals, tending soreness and injury, unloading, unpacking,
meeting and greeting people, listening to each patient's story, giving our
message to others, repacking, and getting ready to do it all over again the next
day, and this for sixty days... is finally over. And we end it with the
bitterness of regret; that we have arrived and bring to an end, the
remarkable experience, growth, awakening of the human spirit, and the love that
bonds all of us together on this journey of scant 60 days. And so...Why did we do it? Several reasons come to mind.
First we rode because we wanted to show that three ordinary, average middle aged guys who
suffered a physical challenge could be filled with hope, courage, and
determination to pursue the dream of living an active life. Second we wanted to help
others to achieve their own dreams, to establish their own goals, and to
strengthen their own resolve and hope that they too can move past the
limitations of their own trauma. 
