Some traditions are worth the work....and I'm grateful to be a part of this one, again this year!
In 2019, five of my friends and I signed up for the McLean Hospital Annual Ride for Mental Health - mainly to support our dear friend that worked at McLean, but also to have a girl’s weekend away, and get a bit of exercise in too!
Each year, the experience is transformative -- for different reasons, for each of us riding. And this year, I am riding for my father.
After caring for my father for most of the spring, I was lucky enough to be by his side when he peacefully passed on May 18th.
Obituary for Carl Fugle
After living a full life, and working until he was 87 because he knew connecting to people and the feeling of community was critical for his mental health, it was devasting when I arrived back in Western New York to find my father unlike I'd ever seen him before. He was lonely, isolated, and feeling like a burden. My father's heart and kidney (he had lost one to cancer at age 45) were failing, fast. Over the course of the next few months, I did everything I could to support my father: mind - body - spirit. Through continuous doctor appointments, infusions, hospitalizations (repeat), it has been a very difficult road. But in retrospect, it was the quality time of watching the old westerns together ('The Rifleman' is pretty easy on the eyes!), taking a drive for a vanilla milkshake, assisting with connecting with friends, and having some very special moments even on the hardest of caregiving days, that felt so right.
Although I am physically drained from these last few months, I will do my best to ride as far as I can to support this incredible mission, in honor of my father.
I hope that you can also be part of my tradition by pledging to support my ride. 100% of the funds raised will be used for mental health programming at McLean Hospital to support the people that need it most. Please accept my most heartfelt thank you, for your consideration and contribution.
The Ride was established in 2017 by Dorris in memory of his late son Eric who struggled with mental illness. A passionate cyclist, Dorris hoped he could channel his grief into the event while raising funds for McLean. Now in its sixth year, The Ride has blossomed into a much-anticipated annual event for hundreds of cyclists of every skill level. Read more about the ride at rideformentalhealth.org.