A veteran is riding 5,300 kilometres across the province to raise money for the Children’s Wish Foundation. Art Brochu made a trip across the country in 2014 putting in over 9,000 kilometres on his bicycle.
Hearing the positive impact the wishes have on the families is what makes the biking worth it for Brochu.
“If the child does make it and they live on, how much healing is there in those wishes? It gets their mind off their treatment and their doctors. They get to do something they always wished they could have done. They are doing it.”
Brochu spent 26 years in the military and speaks to people along his route on his history with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
“For me, getting out and cycling is a treatment. It really works to help me. When I meet these families and people and I see people helping other people, it really impacts me in a good positive way.”
Brochu says he was inspired to ride after experiencing children in pain in war torn countries. After realizing he wanted to help kids, he met Canadian track cyclist Olympic Gold medalist Lori-Anne Muenzer. He told her he wanted to raise money by riding his bike.
“She said Art I can teach you how to cycle. I said I had been banged up a lot and my back has been busted. She said I can teach you how to ride without using your back and doing those things. Over three years, she did.”
The cyclist is collecting money online. After the 80 day trip with 58 days riding, he will end his trip at city hall in Edmonton on July 20th.
