RFTW is a very unique non-profit and I am asked all the time on how something like racing can help our wounded veterans. Well I got this today from one of the veterans that attend the Texas Tornado Boot Camp last week. Now keep in mind that this would not have happened if it wasnt for Colin Edwards and his TTBC team! They made this happen for Mike, and Ryan not RFTW. Without the support of people like this there would be no RFTW. Now please read what Mike thought of the weekend, and share it people you know. Blood drips from my elbow and shoulder, I am covered in bruises and scrapes, and I am so sore that it’s hard to move… yet, I can not wipe the sh**-eating grin off my face. I have just spent four days with the Race For The Wounded program at the Texas Tornado Boot Camp near Conroe, Texas; learning how to race off road motorcycles from a group of people whose resumes read like a championship all-star team (Colin Edwards, Mike Myers, Joe Prussiano, Steven Bodak, Shea Fouchek, Jake Johnson, and Sheila Paul.) When 1st Sergeant Brett Robinson (founder of the Race For The Wounded program) called me up the week before and asked if I could get myself to the camp, I was initially a bit worried that I would be out of my depth in such a situation. And, though, I am definitely a novice rider and was easily the least experienced individual amongst the twenty or so riders there; I was welcomed with open arms and never once felt uncomfortable. The staff at the Boot Camp is an incredible group of men and women who went out of their way to make sure I had the best experience possible, creating an environment that either worked with, or around, some of the unique symptoms of the wounds I sustained in combat more than eight years ago. In fact, I can confidently say that the only moment I felt even a little demoralized by the experience, was when Colin’s I think 6 year old son and several of his equally tiny friends (on equally tiny motorcycles) ravaged even the best of the participants’ lap times! But even that didn’t bother us for long as we sat and marveled at the skills of a new generation of potential champions. The weekend became even more meaningful when we were able to meet some of the other individuals who have volunteered their time and expertise to make the Race For The Wounded program a reality; from the people who has set up the program’s non-profit tax structure, to the woman helping to build and maintain the program’s website. Thanks to all the men and women who work (pro-bono) to make weekends like this possible! It has been a long time since I proudly wore a uniform in defense of this nation, and I had almost forgotten the feeling of being amongst a group of individuals working towards a common goal. Yes, the goals may be different from those we strived for in uniform; but the bonds, camaraderie, and sheer exhilaration from accomplishing a difficult task remain the same. Thanks to Colin Edwards, Mike Myers, and the rest of the Texas Tornado team for a truly unforgettable experience and for memories which will illicit a smile for the rest of our lives! Thank you, 1st Sergeant Robinson, for all of the hard work, time, and energy you have given to our wounded comrades! It is a wonderful, and extremely meaningful, thing you are doing! Michael Plimmer
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 13:27:32 +0000
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