VIRGINIA BEACH – Marine Gunnery Sgt. Johnny Ayo used to run a lot, before a combat injury about five years ago left him needing a cane to walk.
That hasn’t stopped the 37-year-old Virginia Beach resident from riding a bike 320 miles from the Pentagon to the Oceanfront.
Ayo, who is assigned to the Marine’s Wounded Warrior unit in Portsmouth, is among 150 wounded veterans, firefighters and police officers who were scheduled to complete the five-day trek at the Patriot Festival for the UnitedHealthcare Ride 2 Recovery Memorial Challenge.
The riders were expected to finish Friday afternoon at 17th Street, with Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Mayor Will Sessoms and others waiting to welcome them.
Ayo spoke by phone Thursday after finishing his fourth day of riding. He uses a custom bike that allows him to recline, relieving the pressure on his back, where he was injured. Custom bikes are a common sight among the group, he said, as many were built with specific injuries in mind.
The event is the 50th Ride 2 Recovery and the ninth to come through Virginia Beach, organizers said. The rides are not fundraisers, though the organizers seek donations to cover participants’ expenses. Rather, the events serve to connect wounded veterans and get them out of the house and moving toward physical and mental recovery. The rides also raise awareness about post-war illnesses, according to organizers.
Ayo said he was looking for an activity to replace the running he could no longer do when he arrived in Virginia Beach after his injury. That’s when he discovered a riding group in his Wounded Warrior unit and eventually the Ride 2 Recovery.
The rides have not always been physically easy, but they are inspiring, Ayo said. And the progress and friendships veterans forge during them last, he said.
For more information visit ride2recovery.com.
