“The opening ceremony, I think, is so important,” said Kelly Langevin. “Being with all the survivors is really emotional, seeing all the people that are riding for people.”
As the sun came up on Saturday’s 14th Annual Closer to Free Ride, so did the emotions at the opening ceremony.
That’s where Yale oncology nurse Hunter Bouchard was honored. Bouchard’s young daughter Maddie had cancer and now Bouchard is fighting breast cancer.
The announcement fell over the crowd at the Yale Bowl.
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“Hunter, we wish you and Maddie many more years of good health, and we know that hope rides with you, too.”
“Everyone struggles to figure out how they can help. This is it. This is how we help,” said Mark Donovan, whose wife is undergoing colon cancer treatment at Smilow. “We’re all here to help each other, and I’m just so excited to be out and taking it all in.”
The energy took over after the ceremony and the riders took off on courses ranging from 10 to 100 miles. But all of the routes started of with the Smilow Salute outside of Smilow Cancer Hospital.
Riders, current and past patients and staff all met for another moving moment of ride day.
“I remember all the good care I got here and thinking about all the patients that are here now and hoping that they get better,” said Mike Kenny, who is eight years cancer free after treatment at Smilow.
The miles were checked off and millions of dollars were raised to help support programs, clinical research and treatment.
Among the 2,000 riders were volunteers at check-in, along the routes and at the Yale Bowl, where Southern’s baseball team volunteers every year.
“Because it’s something that’s touched everybody in our program. I’m actually riding with one of my players today whose father is battling some cancer issues,” said SCSU head baseball coach Tim Shea.
“It [felt] a little longer than I thought, but it was 25 miles,” said Paul Ponzio. His son Nate is being treated for Ewing sarcoma. “[Nate] said I was going to huff and puff, but I don’t see the rest of the crew back here yet,” he laughed with Nate at the post-ride party.
NBC Connecticut was there, too. Mike Hydeck and Len Besthoff rode together Saturday, and so did Jennifer Cuevas, out for the first time.
“I think it’s really inspiring, whether you are dealing with cancer personally or you know someone who’s dealing with it,” she said.
Telemundo Connecticut’s Doris Bardales shared why she’s riding this year.
“My sister-in-law Ivania. She just finished her cancer treatment, and she lives in LA,” Bardales explained.
Morning show producer Kelly Langevin shared her story as well.
“The ride is really important to me,” she said. “My mom passed away when I was 8 years old. I just turned 25, so seeing that there’s still just a need for fundraising and doing stuff like this really important, and it’s so nice to see everyone come out.”
And for some, ride day reached beyond those in their family.
“Not only for my mom who passed away from breast cancer, I have friends and family, my cousin Kelly,” said Michelle Goodwin, of Rocky Hill, as she showed a photo of a dog on her phone. “I also ride for my best friend luna who passed away from cancer.”
The 14th Annual Closer to Free Ride wrapped up a post-ride celebration with food, music and games. A kid’s mini golf course and video game truck was sponsored by the Tommy Fund for Childhood Cancer.
“We step in when the hospital can’t do the other things like mortgage, rent assistance, because they otherwise didn’t expect this diagnosis to we want to be there every step of the way,” said Executive Director Rebecca Santoli.
And some were already thinking about next year.
“You gonna ride with me next year?” Paul Ponzio asked his son Nate, who said he would. “You gonna beat me?” Ponzio asked with a grin.
Nate replied with a smirk often shared by the father-son duo.
“Yeah,” he said with a laugh.
