By Mark Ambrogi
Josiah Nelson never imagined an event to support kids with leukemia would still bear his name.
“This feels like so far back in the past,” said Josiah, who said he is cured 11 years after being diagnosed with leukemia. “It’s a good reminder that there are still kids getting cancer every day. You know there are other kids in the community who are experiencing what I’ve already been through.”
Josiah’s Ride began in 2007 as a benefit for Josiah and his family and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Now 17, Josiah is a healthy Zionsville Community High School junior.
“To receive this kind of support in your community, I don’t even have words for that,” said Susan Nelson, Josiah’s mother. “Support is an understatement. Just walking through that time planning and the event itself was incredibly emotionally and overwhelming for our family. I don’t think we gave a thought to if we would continue to be involved. It was an automatic.”
The 10th annual Josiah’s Ride: Cruzin’ 4 a Cure, set for Oct. 1, will be to support Kizmin Summers, 3 1/2, the family of Hadley Lehr and LLS. Hadley, who lived in Carmel near the Zionsville line, died late last month at age 2. Different families have been sponsored each year. The Zionsville American Legion Riders sponsor the motorcycle ride. Since 2007, the Riders have raised a total of $96,600.
Zionsville resident Laurie Wanser’s son, Michael, who had acute myeloid leukemia, was sponsored in 2011.
“We were doing well at that point, but just to know that there are people that are going to do something for your family that you have no connection to other than a diagnosis,” Wanser said. “It’s really difficult. It was a huge grace. Because he couldn’t go to the ride, they brought the motorcycles around the hospital. It was huge for Michael. It was an amazing show of love and support from our community.”
Michael, 6, died a few weeks after the ride.
“We were able to make a nice donation to Peyton Manning Hospital, Riley Hospital for Children and St. Jude’s Hospital in Michael’s name,” Wanser said. “The greatest gift for me is people remember my son.”
Chrissy Koenig, who coordinates the event, said red balloons are released before each ride for Michael each year.
“We look at Michael as our angel that watches over us, and now Hadley as well,” Koenig said.
Admission is free. Registration for riders is $25 the day of the event. Breakfast, which opens at 9 a.m, for non-riders is $4. Dinner for non-riders will be $8 ($4 for those 12 and under. Dinner will begin at 4 p.m., along with a silent auction and performance by Jimmy Walton and The Voodoo Revival Band. The event is at the Zionsville American Legion, 9950 E 600 S.
For more, visit josiahsride.com
