Pedaling with Pride, 433rd pilot and wife bike to the beach

  • Published
  • By Amn Viola Hernandez
  • 433rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Lackland AFB --  Traveling 150 miles, it sounds like a lot but when you think about riding 150 miles on a bike, the distance seems to grow tremendously. That thought didn't stop over 3,000 men and women from participating in the Valero MS 150 Bike to the Beach fundraiser on October 20 and 21.

The bike ride, which is held annually to raise money to fight the affects of Multiple Sclerosis, begins at the AT&T Center here and finishes at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi.

Capt. Christopher K. Melton, a C-5 pilot with the 68th Airlift Squadron,
and his wife, Stephanie, were among the many riders. Their ride, however, served a different purpose. Capt. and Mrs. Melton rode as support riders with a group of wounded soldiers recovering at Brook Army Medical Center.

"As a support rider, I offer moral and physical support for our recovering soldiers throughout these bike rides," said Mrs. Melton.

Operation Comfort, an organization that provides support to servicemembers who have been wounded in Afghanistan or Iraq and are receiving treatment at BAMC, formed the team that the Melton's participated with. The team, which consisted of twelve wounded soldiers and Marines and eleven support riders began the ride on Saturday morning at the AT&T center.

"The strength, courage, and determination demonstrated by the soldiers and Marines that I've come to know as a support rider is so inspiring to me," said Mrs. Melton.
Captain Melton states that it is the dedication to helping others that the Operation Comfort riders show in participating in the ride that gives him the motivation that he needed to train and complete the ride as a support rider.

"They lose an arm or a leg and yet there is no self-pity, no hopelessness," Capt. Melton said. "They want to help raise money for MS. Just watching them come out and ride and knowing they are still trying to do something for someone other than themselves. Its mind blowing," Capt Melton added.

After 10 hours of riding on Saturday and roughly another 7 on Sunday, the ride was completed. "Crossing the finish line of a 150 mile bike ride is always an exhilarating experience but that doesn't compare to the feeling you have crossing the line as a support rider," Mrs. Melton said.

"These guys are my heroes, riding with them is what made this bike ride important to me," said Capt. Melton.

"You wouldn't believe the determination of these guys. They were obviously hurting and struggling but they were not going to quit," said Mrs. Melton.

The "don't quit" attitude doesn't stop there, many of the riders hope to return to Iraq after recovery.