The trip is long, but the cause is noble.
Tripp Halstead is 2 years old, the same age as Dave and Kaete Nazaroff’s child. Unfortunately, Tripp suffered extensive brain damage when a tree branch fell on his head at daycare. Though he is home and using a wheelchair, he can’t talk. Still, there is a chance that he will recover.
Kaete Nazaroff has been following Tripp’s story on Facebook. Her and over 750,000 other people have laughed and cried with Tripp’s mom as she keeps the world updated on his status. She wanted to do something more, though.
“Some [updates] make you laugh, some make you cry. But all of them remind us how precious and fragile life truly is … and that it can all change in an instant,” Kaete wrote. “I wanted to help … so I walked into my kitchen and said to my husband, ‘How long would it take you to ride from here to Atlanta?'”
Dave Nazaroff, a seven-time Ironman finisher, was only too happy to help raise money for Tripp’s treatment and recovery.
The couple called the Halsteads with their proposal, and already they have raised enough money that Stacy Halstead, Tripp’s mom, will be able to stay at home with her son.
“We can’t wait until we finally get to meet them,” Stacy said.
Nazaroff, founder of the Toga Multisport Club and bike shop owner, will leave on Wednesday from Nyack, NY, with the goal of biking 900 miles and arriving in Atlanta in only five or six days to meet Tripp and his parents and give them a check that will allow them to take care of their son.
You can donate to Ride to Give here.
Video: Matthew Brown/The Journal News
Photo: Tripp Halstead Updates/Facebook
Tripp is a Tiger and an angel all in one. I’ve been following his story since the news hit facebook. His dad is a moto-cross rider as I was back in the day. I stand in such awe of the Halsteads and God’s grace upon them all. Tripadoodle (as per his mom) will continue to amaze us all !
Thank you Abigail! Great work!!