A room filled with heroes

Cleburne students welcome veterans

By Matt Smith/msmith@trcle.com

Students at Smith Middle School packed the school’s gymnasium on Friday to welcome veterans riding through Cleburne on the Wounded Warriors Road 2 Recovery Texas Challenge.

The event, a bicycle procession of more than 60 wounded veterans, began in San Antonio on Monday and stopped in Cleburne on the way to Arlington.

The veterans rode straight into the school’s gym to the sound of cheering students and parents.

“We’re so proud to have you here in Cleburne,” said Mayor Ted Reynolds. “For you to stop by is truly an honor.”

Veterans and those in military service, Reynolds told students, are the reason we enjoy freedom in America.

“You know how you watch heroes on TV shows and movies?” Reynolds said. “And those are pretty cool. But these men and women here today, these are the real heroes.”

School trustee Brad Mead, a Marine, agreed.

“It’s a great day to be a Cleburne Yellow jacket, and a great day to be an American,” Mead said to student yells of approval.

John Wordin, founder of R2R, talked about the importance of faith in God, oneself and each other.

Wordin founded R2R two years ago to raise money for recovery labs and outdoor cycling events across America to help injured veterans overcome the obstacles they face.

After the assembly, Smith students visited with veterans and asked for autographs and pictures. Marine E4 David Belcher from Sacramento, Calif., called the ride a fantastic experience.

“We hit really strong wind [Thursday], which was tough,” Belcher said. “But I’ve done these rides in California where you have to deal with mountains, so it wasn’t as bad as that. Plus, everybody’s been great in Texas.”

Other stars join in

Actors Adam Baldwin and Kristy Swanson, both traveling with the veterans on the Texas Challenge, also attended the assembly.

“I found out about R2R through a mutual friend who knows John Wordin,” Baldwin said. “I just thought joining the ride would be a great way to honor the troops, get some exercise and see the great state of Texas.”

Though he’s been to Texas before, Baldwin said he’s having a blast riding through the state and seeing some of the smaller towns and cities.

Swanson likewise said she became involved after a friend introduced her to Wordin.

“This has been an incredible, amazing trip,” Swanson said. “I’m very proud of these guys and what they’re doing. And our youth need to see men and women like this to see what super heroes really are.”

Swanson said she also joined forces with R2R to promote Iraq Star Inc., an organization that raises money to provide reconstructive surgery to wounded American soldiers returning from Iraq.

Swanson serves as a warrior ambassador for that organization.

American Legion riders lead way

The American Legion Riders, a group of veterans who ride motorcycles, accompanied the R2R riders from Waco and will remain with them through to Arlington, said Charles Briscoe, president of American Legion Riders 426.

The ALR riders led a procession of limousines to Alvarado’s American Legion Post 426 Friday night for dinner before returning to Cleburne to spend the night at the Comfort Inn.

Alvarado Mayor Tom Durington presented a proclamation to the group and representatives from the Alvarado post and American Legion Post 50 in Cleburne presented donations of $3,730 and $750 respectively.

Marine Travis Dodson of New Mexico said he heard about R2R while doing rehabilitation after losing his legs in Iraq from a grenade. Dodson, and several cyclists on the trek without legs, ride hand cycles.

“I was really a big cyclist before, certainly not as good as some of these guys,” Dodson said. “So it’s been tough, but it’s been a lot of fun too.”

Army Staff Sgt. Allan Annaert, wounded in Iraq, joked that his physical therapist, Melissa Howard, tricked him into the Texas Challenge.

“I told him you need to get in shape to bicycle to Dallas for a NASCAR race or a baseball game,” Howard.

“No, you just said NASCAR, not a baseball game,” Annaert said.

But Annaert said he’s enjoyed the ride even though he initially wondered what he got himself into.

“Actually, about 20 minutes into the ride I thought of bailing and going home,” Annaert said with a laugh.

On the Web:

www.road2recovery.us.com

www.IraqStar.org