My name is Kathy and I work for Grace Healthcare Services, which is a Hospice* in New Jersey. Those unfamiliar with hospice care should know the service provides humane and compassionate care for people in the last phases of incurable disease, so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible.

      Steve was in our care, a 54 year young man preparing himself for his last days. He was asked, "What would you like to do before you die?" He said, "Ride again." I knew what I had to do. I went on a quest to find a Biker with a motorcycle that had a sidecar. Long story short, I was put in contact with Tom from the Goldwing Society Of Monmouth County who knew of a member who owned a motorcycle with a sidecar. Tom was only too glad to help, as well as the majority of the society's members. Together we made arrangements to take Steve for a ride.

        On May 29, 2007, Steve's much anticipated day for his ride had arrived as did 23 fully dressed Goldwings. Imagine the look on his face as the members rolled up in front of his home to take him out. Surprisingly, The Goldwing Society Of Monmouth County showed up with a bike that had a double sidecar. This made it possible to not only seat Steve, but also his wife. This outstanding circumstance offered a unique opportunity for Steve's wife to share something with him she had never experienced before. This would be the first time she and her husband had ever rode on a motorcycle  together.

    Another Biker in the group allowed Steve's Stepson to ride on his bike. Steve's daughter although unable to join him on the road was content to see the look of glee on her father's face as he rode by while she was holding his new grandchild.

        This amazing group of riders paraded up route 36 through Long Branch and Sea Bright to the tip of Sandy Hook and around Fort Hancock where the Goldwing carrying Steve and his wife parked while the other bikes rode formation around him. The men saluted and the ladies blew kisses to him, what a wonderful display of human kindness.

    My daughter was fortunate enough to be on the back of one of the bikes and relayed to me how she noticed his wife gently lifting Steve's hand so he could give the thumbs up to everyone. His daughter later said to me, "The thumbs up were always his thing."

    When everyone arrived back at Steve's home, the look on Steve's face was indescribable. Steve's only way to communicate was a laser communications board that he set to work on at the end of his ride. It took Steve 15 difficult minutes to type "Thank You" as all the participating riders stood there patiently and waited for him to finish.

    After the ride and until his death, everyone that visited Steve was treated to an emotional telling of his final ride. Even after his ability to communicate was gone, the staff related the story for him and his eyes would light up.

    Steve lost his battle with ALS* November 30, 2008. I notified Tom from the Goldwing Society and many of the members attended his memorial service. It was an honor to be involved with this event and neither my daughter, nor I, will ever forget the compassion and caring of such a tremendous group of bikers.

My heartfelt thanks go out to all of you and thank you to Steve from BikerView for convincing me to share this story with the world, and somehow share the amazing feeling you get when you see 23 bikers, and their friends, come together to grant a man his last wish and do more to make it come true.

          Kathy