Two weeks into the ride, the daily updates seem to have followed a pattern - the team takes on a big challenge which they then overcome by the end of the day effortlessly.
In a way, this is not one of those days.
This past Sunday, April 6, Sean set off from Boulevard, California heading east. Not far from the starting point, the road was rough and had a steep decline. As he cycled through this part, he hit a major bump and was thrown off of his bike. Among other things, Sean fractured three ribs, hip bones, and an acetabulum socket.
He was immediately airlifted 100 miles from the scene to be treated at Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego, where he will be resting and awaiting surgery. It is a challenge, but hardly the toughest that Sean has faced. He is not going to let this sideline him for long and most definitely will not get in the way of spreading his message.
The ride will continue as planned. Sean has passed the torch onto David Fisch and Don Brennen, his riding companions who will carry on with the ride. Sean will fly into subsequent city stops to talk about his story and recovery starting in Dallas.
What can you do? More than ever, Sean can use your help to spread the word.
- Ride for Sean - ride along as the ride continues, and/or post a picture of your ride for Sean (see below)
- Engage with our Facebook page - leave a message, like the page and invite all your FB friends to do the same
- Share Sean's story - share heartacrossamerica.org with your friends and loved ones
- Fundraise for the cause - consider making a donation, create a fundraising page, or create a fundraising team for your company, local team or cycling group
Anybody can ride - you don’t have to ride along the route to ride for Sean. Dedicate one of your rides by taking a picture at the end holding up a sign, “I rode X miles for Sean #bike4heart” and sharing it on your Facebook and Twitter. Make sure to tag Heart Across America's Facebook page and @heartacross as well!
This is a minor setback. The campaign will go on, and Sean will remain an integral part of it, but this is bigger than him. It is about the 1.5M heart attacks and strokes every year. It is about the 800,000 who die from heart attacks and strokes, while 80% are preventable.
He’s not giving up his campaign to reduce heart attacks and strokes, and neither should you. So, let’s keep riding!