Official Selection at Seattle International Film Festival playing at Uptown Theater, May 28 at 6PM. Second showing Harvard Exit, May 29 at 4PM.
Team Jesse sponsors children of fallen soldiers to attend weekend bereavement camps.
The Moyer Foundation is committed to supporting the needs of children of military families who are grieving a loss. The Foundation, through their existing Camp Erin program, is actively reaching out to military children in San Diego, in collaboration with the USO (United Service Organization), and in Washington State with USO Puget Sound. Camp Erin locations across the country welcome children of military families who have lost someone close to them.
Watch video to learn more about this amazing program.
Team Jesse funds Challenge Grants to enable survivors in military families to honor their loved one by challenging themselves through service to the community.
After the casualty officer leaves and support fades, families are left with a loss that forever changes their lives. Team Jesse has partnered with The Travis Manion Foundation to offer opportunities for children, parents, spouses, siblings and battle buddies to honor their loved one by challenging themselves in uniquely personal ways.
Successful Challenge Grant applicants outline project details, clear goals, and a definition of success – and share with us how their personal challenge will honor their loved one. Applicants receive Challenge Grant funds to help them achieve their goal and honor the spirit, service, and life of their relative or battle buddy.
Learn more about this unique program.
In June of 2006 I made a promise to a young man from Santa Rosa, California. His name was Jesse Williams and he was my friend. Jesse and I had met in the Army and were serving together in combat operations in Iraq. Our paths into the service were different. As for me, I had left my job in investment banking, near Ground-Zero, and enlisted following the tragic events five years earlier on 9-11-01.
The promise I made to Jesse was to look after his infant daughter should anything happen to him in Iraq. At the time, I didn’t think that much about the promise. My mind simply did not want to calculate the probabilities and risk we all faced. Still, a promise is a solemn thing.
When the unthinkable happened less than a year later, 11-month-old Amaya Williams lost her father. My friend Jesse Williams was killed in action and it dawned on me that my promise meant more than I had ever imagined.
I quickly realized that for me to keep my promise, I needed help. It was my family, my friends and my wife Heather that made it possible for this lifelong promise to begin to be fulfilled. And while it will never be ok for little Amaya to grow up without a father – she can grow up knowing who her dad was and without having to “worry about a thing” as her father used to say.
The Team Jesse Foundation and The Ride were created as an extension of the promise I made to one young soldier who was my friend. The Foundation and The Ride were developed as a way to extend care to all of the other families of fallen soldiers out there – and finding ways to help them “worry a little less”. And once again, I found myself asking for help. Remarkably, people have come to my aid once again. Some are people I know well, old friends, friends from work, the lacrosse community and my family. Others are new friends I have just met and who believe in the mission.
It’s not about me and it’s not about a bike ride. It’s about commitment and staying true to your word. It’s about family, about friends and about the community that has come together to say thank you for what our nation’s heroes, the fallen, have sacrificed to allow us to live free.
The Ride does not end today. The promise is not fulfilled. In fact, it is bigger than ever. There is more work do – and once again, I am asking for help. I want to thank those who support and believe in me and in our Team. I will not let you down. I promise!
There was something in Jesse’s eyes that day in June 2006. I wonder if he knew how much placing his trust in me meant and how far it would go. Looking back, I think he did.
To the limit of our abilities,
Kevin Mincio
President and Co-Founder
US Army Veteran
The Team Jesse Foundation sent a lacrosse team to Miami to participate in the 2012 Lacrosse Wear Bump & Grind Lacrosse Tournament. Over the course of an exciting weekend of solid lacrosse action, Team Jesse played with a heavy heart and an unwavering mission to support the families of the fallen.
Ben Wise Helmet Sticker
Led by Team Jesse Foundation President and Co-Founder, Kevin Mincio, the squad came together to celebrate a successful first year in existence as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization helping families of the fallen, to share the news about a documentary film about The Ride that will be released in early 2012 and to honor a fallen soldier named SFC Ben Wise.
As the team rallied together on Friday afternoon to prepare for their first game against the Broward County All-Stars, Sergeant First Class Ben Wise was being laid to rest in Virginia Beach, VA. SFC Benjamin Wise, 34, of Little Rock, Arkansas, was on his fourth deployment overseas when he was injured on January 9, 2012 during an insurgent attack on his unit in Konduz Province, Afghanistan. He died on January 15, 2012 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany and was laid to rest January 27, 2012. SFC Wise was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and Meritorious Service Medal. He is survived by his wife, Traci, his sons Luke and Ryan, and his daughter Kailen.
SFC Wise served with Mincio in the Army as an infantryman assigned to the 5-20th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State. Mincio, SFC Wise and the late SSG Jesse Williams, who is the inspiration for the creation of The Team Jesse Foundation, were deployed to Iraq together as members of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division.
As Team Jesse took the field, SFC Wise’s death was a vivid reminder of the ongoing sacrifices of our American troops and their families as they fight for our freedoms and values every day.
LAX Vegas Originals
Knowing of Ben’s sacrifice, and that of Jesse Williams’ too, the team took the field with fire, passion, intensity and extra motivation that carried them to the finals. With a roster comprised of several Team Jesse originals dating back to its lacrosse creation in 2007, the squad of ”veteran” players had their work cut out for them. Mike Corry, Adam Hughes, Team Jesse Co-Founder Matt Corry, Sean Monahan, Mincio, Thierry Francois, Kevin Owens and TJ Leadership Team member Matt Sauri all brought the collective age of the team well into the mid to upper 30s.
With the help of returning TJ vets like Chris Deist, Marc Digiovanni, Ian Cadieu, Sean McTernan, Anthony Kelly, Josh Rachman and Jeremy Waks, the team was able to bring the average age down to the low to mid 30s. When Brett Queener, Chris Manley and Joe Cahill were added to the roster, they brought the age down a bit more, but ultimately Eric Farber, John Harrington, Ken Gaziano and Tom Dunn made it possible to allow Team Jesse to qualify as a Masters team in most tournaments.
The old timers of Team Jesse had an exciting run to the championship. On Friday afternoon, they beat the Broward County All Stars 13-2. Kevin Owens and Anthony Kelly handled the faceoff duties and gave a clear edge to TJ on the draws. The Corry Brothers paced the squad with about 3 or 4 goals and a handful of assists between them, but it was clearly a team effort. Rachman, Cadieu, Harrington, Deist, Graziano and Monahan kept the opponents at bay and Mincio and Queener kept the ball out the net. Tom Dunn was all over the midfield and Marc Digiovanni (Digger) and Joe Cahill added firepower from up top, while the attack of Waks, Francois, Sauri, Farber, McTernan and Mikey C kept the poise on offense.
TJ OT Win
Saturday morning saw a closer game for Team Jesse, with a hard fought 7-6 overtime win vs. a tough Head Strong/Lacrosse Wear. Featuring Bo Lamon and Ryan Burton from Lacrosse Wear, who are the exclusive uniform suppliers for Team Jesse, Head Strong pushed TJ To The Limit! In a back and forth game, it was a hard charging Mike Corry who took the ball to the cage to seal the win for TJ. Mid game heroics at the faceoffs by Kevin Owens (KO) and Anthony Kelly (A-Train) helped gain the extra possessions needed, while Brett Queener came up with some exciting saves and created some transition opportunities for the squad. Another solid display by the defense and keepers, holding a strong team to 6 goals, helped Team Jesse gain the momentum they needed heading into game three of the tournament.
TJ Leadership & Brett Queener
Between games on Saturday, Team Jesse rookie Brett Queener gathered the squad together for a team building exercise that was a special moment for the players. Each man was asked to talk about why they were playing for TJ and what it meant to them. The candor of the players and the emotion of the moment propelled TJ into the afternoon. Special thanks to Brett for his effort.
Facing a Wave Dog team that looked young and fast, Team Jesse controlled the faceoffs handily. In a game that featured brief runs by both teams, it was the 2 point shooting of Anthony Kelly and two acrobatic goals by Eric Farber that made the difference. Francois and Owens and Hughes and Cahill also contributed. Perhaps others too, but who can remember? The 11-7 win propelled Team Jesse into the number 2 seed, with 3 wins and a 16 goal differential entering the playoffs on Sunday.
TJ & Keith Richards
Saturday night featured a team dinner and some fun in South Beach for the squad. Amnesia hosted a packed tournament party and Jeremy Waks showed TJ some great hospitality. It was also nice that Keith Richards was even in town to cheer TJ on.
Sunday morning would bring another tough battle for Team Jesse. This time vs. Team Buddha, the number 3 seed, who made it to the semi finals with 4 wins. Buddha had a similar road to Team Jesse into the semis with one big win and three close games. In the end, Team Jesse prevailed 8-7 in Double overtime.
As last year’s Bump & Grind Champions, the Brine Kings were the clear favorite to repeat and their road to the finals showed it. Putting up nearly 40 points and sporting a 26 goals differential, the Kings were the odds on favorite. With Tim Booth and Nate Watkins on their roster, Team Jesse’s 2007 squad was well represented on the Kings. Throw in Justin Smith who has plays for Matt Suari’s Wimmer Solutions Elite Squad, and 3 of the Kings were members of the TJ family.
TJ Finals Squad
Unfortunately for Team Jesse, the Kings were too tough. Faced with a quick 5 or 6 goal deficit, Mincio called a time out to regroup. Making sure to remind the team that they were representing SFC Ben Wise and the families of the fallen, he made sure everyone played with a warrior spirit and with pride and determination through the final whistle. TJ was able to score a few goals down the stretch but ultimately lost 10-3. With heads held high and with pride in their effort, Team Jesse truly played To The Limit!
Brine Kings
Congratulations to the Brine Kings on a great game and a second consecutive Bump & Grind Championship.
By placing second in the 2012 Bump & Grind Tournament, representing SFC Ben Wise with honor and integrity, acknowledging and celebrating an initial first year of success with The Ride and a pending documentary film to be released in the spring and making sure to share the story of their mission to provide education and support to families of the fallen, Team Jesse truly over-achieved in the trip to Miami.
Thanks to all those who have asked about Team Jesse, inquired about donating to their cause or playing with their team. Special thanks to those that have offered to sponsor their efforts in the future. Without the lacrosse community, Team Jesse would not be where it is today.
Watch KING 5 video with Wimmer Solutions CEO, Matt Sauri, to see how his participation in The Team Jesse Ride influenced the giving campaign at his company.
Wimmer Solutions CEO Matt Sauri discusses the company’s commitment to community engagement and volunteerism, its Care Creates Community Challenge, and his own experience riding a bike across America in support of the Team Jesse Foundation.
Not only is Wimmer Solutions one of the top masters and elite lacrosse teams in the post-collegiate lacrosse world, but they are a respectable organization as well. Besides winning titles in Hawaii this year, a bunch of the players ran a free clinic for local kids. In honor of those titles, Wimmer Solutions has chosen four charities to support and will be sending players from the teams to personally deliver funds: $20,000 in total to organizations hand-selected by the players.
Each player got up in front of the group to discuss their reasoning for picking those charities and the players will be involved in delivering the funds. Obviously the Hawaii championship is pretty competitive in itself, but Wimmer CEO Matt Sauri added a caveat this year for the boys: the donations would go based on the team’s results. So since both the Wimmer Master’s and Elite teams won, each organization gets $5,000.
Sauri describes the all-out effort of his teams as nothing he’s seen, including one play in the championship when Max Seibald got mugged at one end, chased the ball down on the other and turned it all the way back around for a goal.
“It was all effort, and these heroic plays are different than anything I’ve ever seen at that tournament,” Sauri says. “I didn’t have to remind the guys about what we were playing for; they knew it, and they were vocal amongst themselves about it”
Above are a mix of photos of the Master’s and Elite teams, as well as some shots from Wimmer Solutions free clinic. Here are the four charities that Wimmer Solutions will be donating to:
Harlem Lacrosse and Leadership Corporation (suggested by Brett Queener and Connor Martin)
Supersonics Lacrosse (Suggested by Adam Messick)
Starlight Children’s Foundation Mid Atlantic (Suggested by Chris Taylor)
New Beginnings (Suggested by Adam Messick and Chris Taylor)
John Jiloty of Inside Lacrosse Magazine recognizes the efforts of Team Jesse and our sponsor Wimmer Solutions.
Wimmer Solutions is perennially one of the top two teams at the Hawaii Invitational, and this year should be no different. They will be without their arch-rival Crease Monkeys, who aren’t bringing a team to the islands, but that doesn’t mean Wimmer won’t have another stacked lineup. And as we learned on Tuesday, it’s a good thing since this new Dirty Lax team looks dangerous.
Wimmer CEO Matt Sauri’s goal with his teams is always to include not just great players, but good team guys and dynamic community spokemen. He says he’s looking for good sportsmen as much as all-stars, and it’s proven to be a successful strategy.
Wimmer has also prided itself on their Elite and Master’s Teams helping each other out in Hawaii, with some of the Elite guys helping to coach the Master’s squad, and a few of the Masters players getting some burn with the Elite group.
Here’s a look at Wimmer’s group for this year’s Hawaii Lacrosse Invitational, which starts Friday at Kapiolani Park in Honolulu. Inside Lacrosse regrettably won’t be making the trip this year but we look forward to making a triumphant comeback in 2012.
Good to see a few new additions to the Wimmer roster: Ben Rubeor, Connor Martin, John Galloway and Kyle Menendez joining what is a great tradition.
And here’s to Sauri and goalie Kevin Mincio resting those weary legs in the sand in Hawaii. After biking across the country to raise money for Team Jesse, those guys deserve some R&R.
Forbes covers The Ride
At 8:46 a.m. on September 11, 2001, Kevin Mincio was a Goldman Sachs vice president in a middle of a meeting at the firm’s One Liberty Plaza offices in Lower Manhattan. A little more than two years later he was in Iraq with the Army, not far from where Saddam Hussein was captured by his fellow soldiers. And on Sunday Kevin will ride into lower Manhattan after a cross-country bike trek that is fulfilling a promise he made to a friend killed in action. Mincio is completing a 4,200-mile bike ride from California to the site of the Twin Towers on behalf of the Team Jesse Foundation, which helps families of fallen soldiers in memory of his friend, Army Staff Sergeant Jesse Williams and the thousands who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks and the war on terror.
And so our journey comes to the end, but our cause has just begun. You will not have heard the last of us now, but the riding was set to conclude on Day Ninety-Five, and we’ve met all deadlines aong the 4,200 mile stretch. All of them. At the beginning, it was about a sense of duty, and a commitment that held the test of time. It was about a sacrifice that was very rare indeed, and about the bravery that accompanied these things. In the end, it became a legend of promise, and a bond between two soldiers. Ironically, our journey would start at a place representative of the promise, and it would end at the place it all began, where the call to duty was heard and acted upon by my friend, Kevin Mincio.
Before the day began on 9/11/11, we were hosted the day before in Norwalk CT at O’Neill’s Pub by Co-Founder Matt Corry. It was in this place that we were shown an unprecedented display of community support, as several elected officials gathered alongside Matt’s friends from the lacrosse community and family. We were given declarations and the keys to the city, but most of all we were given love and support. A few people we didn’t know and who were not part of the event recognized our faces from a news story that ran nationally, so the community grew right in front of our eyes. The event was very successful from a fundraising standpoint, and our cause gained momentum at a critical time.
Ninety-Five would be an emotional day, and it would wait for no one. In fact, to meet our day’s commitments, we needed to get an early start on the course. We’ve always had a policy that we don’t ride in the dark, but on this day there was just no getting around it. We woke at 4:45am and were on the road at 5:30. We were donning headlamps and flashlights to see as we slipped through the darkness with chilly water spraying up from the bumpy blacktop. We were on the Saw Mill River Parkway, and it was very exciting to be taking this route, and under these conditions. It was unique from any other ride and also very different from the past Ninety-Four. A passing car once ran over an already dead raccoon, and we were nearly sprayed; instead, the support vehicle driven by Messick and carrying Cathy Mabee and Heather, Kevin’s wife took the bloody exchange. We rode hard, knowing that any slip-ups would set us back and compromise the entire schedule.
As it started to get light, after riding for almost 90 minutes, we entered the outskirts of the city, seeing it in a unique way. Recent terror threats as well as the population’s memory of a terrible day ten years before had those we passed in a vulnerable-feeling position. While they were strong as New Yorkers are known for being, there was an uncertainty in the air. It felt great to be doing something about it, however small it would be. As far as the terror threats and their affect, Kevin was heard to say that he’d ride his bike right through a bomb blast if he had to do so. The guy likes to keep his promises, apparently.
I’m grateful that it was getting light out when we rode on the Major Deegan Expressway. Talk about hairy and scary! It was still not the best visibility, though, and we had to change lanes several times to avoid cars in on and off ramps while traveling at 50-60 MPH. This part of the course was further complicated by the rise and fall of the highway; it was an overpass to many intersections, and as such, was not the flat, safe stretch that other full-on highways can be. Without the SAG, I’m not sure we would have made it safely. Once, the SAG itself almost got smeared into the barrier by an accelerating, merging dump truck. It was dangerous, period. We pedaled hard and got off as soon as we could, but still had to go past 5 exits (which means on-ramps as well) in doing so.
When we spun off and made our way onto the 3rd Avenue Bridge, we were in Manhattan. It felt great to arrive, though our day was just beginning. And we had many appointments to keep. The first such appointment involved us getting to Randall’s Island. Our hearts sunk when we got to the pedestrian bridge only to see that it was closed; we knew that there would be severe measures taken by the authorities to reduce the risk of terrorist activity, but we hadn’t seen this coming. So, we had not choice to turn around and give up. Do you think that’s what we did? No, actually, we just climbed the twelve-foot fence with our bikes and kept going. We weren’t going to be stopped, and I guess that where there’s a will, there’s a way.
At last we arrived at our first of two engagements for the day. We were going to meet a large group at the 9/11 Heroes Run, a 5K race hosted by our trusted partner, The Travis Manion Foundation. We had been looking forward to this day for a long time, and we were honored by doing a lap on our bikes around the track that served as the starting and finish line of the race’s loop. Our cause was announced and I couldn’t have been any more proud to see the support from the large crowd of runners as well as to see the looks of friends and loved ones that had come out to support us. After our lap, we ditched the bikes to the side, were given race numbers 001 and 002 and ran the 5K. Looking back, I think that they wanted us to start the race by being out front, but we instead got caught in the emotion of the moment and ran with the crew that had assembled to support us, all of them wearing their Team Jesse shirts with the exception of Kevin Higman, the president and COO of Team Jesse Sponsor Wimmer Solutions, who was asked to wear a shirt bearing our logo. Without Kevin’s support and that of the rest of our fantastic team at Wimmer, there’s no way I would have been able to accompany Kevin this summer. Thanks so much, gang, for allowing me to help and also giving me the opportunity for a life-changing experience!
We finished together, and we were all teeth, the entire crew giddy with the response from the event promoters and other races. At the end, I saw a few faces in the crowd that I didn’t know had shown up, all the way from Seattle, to support the mission and surprise me. I couldn’t have been happier, and the people we’re talking about have been quite influential in my life. They really gave me a charge, not that I was short on emotion that day (or very often, for that matter). We then said our goodbyes and headed out, again scaling the fence with our bikes to exit.
After some logistical haggling, we began to set out toward Ground Zero and the cross-streets of Liberty and Church, where Kevin Mincio stood in shock ten years ago, and subsequently sprung into legendary action. As we approached, it was really dawning on us that the trip was coming to an end. I’m very grateful that the end wasn’t anti-climactic, as I feared that maybe it would be. With only a few blocks to go, we saw Matt Corry and Darren Tappen on the street. Just happened to run into the very people that would be helpful for Kevin to see as he made the final stab toward the goal. As we were ahead of schedule, we agreed to pull over and get our bearings before taking the final pedal strokes. It was touching that Kevin realized that he would be incomplete without his brother, Matt, present as well. Matt was with Kevin on 9/11/01 and together they had eventually made their way out of Manhattan, both changed forever. We chose a venue called The Irish American to stop, and we regrouped, made a quick toast, and headed down to complete the mission. By the way, I’ve always thought that Matt had a really cool name.
However, the security detail had strict orders to prevent penetration into the areas that would be most relevant to Kevin as well as Matt. So, with 16 of our friends and family there to support the final thrust, we were thwarted by rules imposed by the recent threats. So, we gave up and turned around, content with the bare minimum of effort. Do you think that’s what we did? Well, no, that’s NOT what we did. With Kevin’s determination fueling Matt Corry’s (another guy with a cool name, BTW) keen resourcefulness, we were able to make someone want to help us, and we were soon guided back to the exact spot where Kevin was ten years ago. Not only that, but we were taken into the heart of the new memorial, which had been reserved for families of 9/11 victims and VIPs. Upon our entrance, we were stopped by the mother of Christopher Santora, a firefighter who bravely fought to save lives before losing his life as the towers collapsed. She asked us if she could shake our hands, and had accosted us because she’s seen the story on the news. I was very humbled that she would be asking me for this, as it was she and her husband and daughter that had suffered the loss ten years ago, and every day since. It was an iconic validation to our summer’s mission, and none will never forget it.
While The Ride is over, and finished in successful fashion, our work is just beginning. It’s comes with great promise that, in the end, Kevin Mincio was happy with the outcome and is finally calm and relaxed. He will stay that way for at least a few hours, or until the next opportunity to show commitment for the Families of the Fallen. After all, this guy takes his promises pretty seriously. I can’t be grateful enough to have been allowed to play a small part in The Ride, and I, like the others that have supported Kevin through thick and thin, are proud to have done so.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
I met Joe Alberici in the Fall of 1989 when I was a freshman it Alfred University. We played lacrosse together there that year and came close to winning a division 3 national championship before losing in the NCAA tournament. Since then, our lives have gone different paths. Joe was an All American in a year that put the small town of Alfred, NY on the map and he stayed in the game of lacrosse as a coach. Not surprisingly, he has been very successful, and Joe is now the head coach for the Army Black Knights at West Point. After 20 years, the game of lacrosse brought us together once again two years ago when Joe allowed the Mercer Island lacrosse team, where I am the assistant coach, to play a game at Michie Stadium at West Point. BTW – we won the game!
Early in The Ride, I let Joe know we planned to come to West Point. He told me to call him the week prior and he would set something up. Fittingly, that day would be Day Ninety-Three, our last rest day. What better place to spend it than beautiful West Point. What Joe set up exceeded my expectations. After meeting him at his office and getting introduced to members of his staff, I had the opportunity to address the 74 members of the Army lacrosse team, soon to be 2 teams, including a JV squad.
Joe introduced me to the team. I have never liked being introduced, but today I was proud to have someone I admire so very much say kind words and express admiration for what we have done with Team Jesse. The men I was about to talk to are young, but already extremely accomplished in their lives. I knew there were potential great future leaders in my presence. Men that would lead men into combat. I wanted to make an impression.
I enjoyed the opportunity to introduce Matt. He has done this so selflessly and with great passion throughout The Ride. Today it was my turn to talk about what he meant to me and The Ride. I even got a chance to tell the boys about Wimmer Solutions lacrosse, the best club lacrosse team in the world – bar none, something Matt takes great pride in which is a direct result of his hard work.
I think I did an OK job making an impression on the boys. It was a tuff assignment. My focus was on what I looked for in my officers as a non commisioned officer and an enlisted man. Afterwards, Joe wasn’t done. Our tour continued over out the weight room, where the boys went for strength and conditioning training. We met some great people over there, including General Peter Palmer (RET), who I will be following up with regarding our mission.
Later in the evening, we were invited to Joe’s house, where his wife Petra and five year old daughter Isabella were cooking in the kitchen. One of the day’s highlights for me, was I trip to the basement, where Joe told stories to Matt, Adam and me about his coaching days at Duke University and Army. We spoke about players and memorable games, many of which we all recalled due to our love for the creators game of lacrosse. We were ‘all teeth’ leaving the Alberici home. It was an emotional day. One that was fitting given the magnitude of what is in front of us 60 miles to the south.
If this wasn’t enough, there was one more treat in store for us on this great day. Re-enter Coach Mike Groh, who we learned was 30 miles south on a recruiting assignment prior to the Alabama game against Penn State this weekend. Roll Tide! You all may recall Mike was with us in Telluride as a guest rider and has been with us in spirit the entire ride with his ‘got to prove to her one day at a time’ mantra that we have adopted based on his advice. I explained to Adam how much Mike meant to me, and his ‘gassed it’ down the Palisades Parkway like a man on a mission. We were able to spend about 45 minutes with Mike, which during Football season is a real treat. In typical Coach Groh fashion, he had the words of encouragement we needed to put the final two days in perspective. To have this man’s support has meant the world to me.
It’s all about the coaching – it really is!
To the limit,
/km/
For some reason, the sun ‘wanted it’ a little more than the weather report had predicted. There were no complaints from us, and we were all teeth as we crossed the border into our final state, New York. The sun came through in a filtered fashion, and we were given the gift of it making a gradual appearance. As the clouds broke apart and offered bits of clear blue, our optimism followed suit and we all had to agree that the conditions were ideal. When the sun finally showed in full fashion, it was glorious. After the previous few days, it felt like we were on a different planet. Shady patches of road had sharp contrast from those stretches that lie unobstructed. Sometimes the great thing about having harsh, unfriendly weather is that peaceful glow that follows. We took full advantage of the opportunity to enjoy it, to soak it all in, and to allow it to be part of us. Also, it was nice to not be shivering and soaking wet.
Due to our ability to keep on schedule (against the predictions of many), we have worked our way into a position to take a different angle as we enter the city on 9/11. Our path will take us to West Point, home of the United States Military Academy. We’ve got some great appearances planned there, and it’s a great highlight for both Kevin and me. Having grown up in Annapolis, though, I predict I’ll have a hard time with the “Go Army, Beat Navy’ talk. Seems backwards to even write it down!
Another upside of the opportunity to see West Point is the terrain. It was a gorgeous ride, as the roads leading into the area were hilly and, in some places, almost mountainous. Kevin and I really enjoyed the opportunity to climb some steep hills and we went at it with no reserve or hesitation. We pedaled up and around Bear Mountain on our approach, and the first signs of fall were everywhere. Coming back to the East Coast reminds me of why the season referred to as autumn. The smell of the air is probably one of my favorite parts, as it carries a crispness that is pretty far removed from the mugginess that comes just before it. While we still had some humidity in the air, it was on the way out and will soon be replaced by the ironically fresh smell of dying leaves and season’s change.
Both Kevin and Mark Larson had spent significant time here as youngsters, and I kept quiet and tried to allow them the opportunity to ingest their surroundings and take the trip down memory lane, nearly literally. Most of the conversations that took place were about their childhood memories, and both of them separately told me about skiing there (long ago there had been a small resort on Bear Mountain) Both of them were sentimental about seeing the Henry Hudson River, it’s banks softened by Irene and the heavy rains that followed her. She was very muddy and almost red from the past few days. But, there she was, iconic and strong.
Day Ninety Two was the last day that we’d enjoy the company of a guest rider; going forward for the last two days it’ll just be Mince and me. I can’t think of anyone who would be more stable and valuable than Mark for this part of the journey. He’s in tune with the mission and understands the big picture with things, and he’s a class act all the way around. Having Mark and his lovely wife Virginia along for this stage has been a blessing. Mainly, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to share the experience with him. I’ve always looked at The Ride as an opportunity to create opportunity for others; if that’s true, then it’s also true that opportunity can be better propagated when in the hands of the capable. Deputize the capable, I always say, and who better to deputize than the Chief Deputy Prosecutor? Mark is a man of action, so giving him a bird’s eye view of what we’re up to as well as the experience to have lived the struggle, even for a few days, will prove helpful to our cause and to the Families of the Fallen. In Mark Larson, I’ve got a new person to admire and appreciate, and that just doesn’t happen every day. As we pulled toward a final SAG stop and a chance to reunite with some special people, I was shown five birds of prey circling. It was almost like I was gifted these and allowed to show them to Mark. It just felt right.
We turned the corner, and there he was, poised in his iconic photographic action stance. Papa Bear was there, standing tall (well, not that tall because he’s not so tall, plus he sorta squats when he shoots the camera, but he was doing it proudly, which is sorta like standing tall). It was beyond surreal to see him as well as Mama Bear, who had come down to see us into the area. It was a joy to see them, and it was as if no time had passed at all. They met Messick and thanked him for his driving style, and unreported incidents have occurred that lead many of us to believe he’s saved our lives a few times. Adam replied that he’d never be able to prepare the food the way that they had, and I imagined what it would be like to have both crews. We’d be soooo spoiled!
Our next few days will be the culmination of nearly a year of work and preparation. It’s all happening so fast and we’ve been through a lot. As the excitement of all of it comes in like a tremendous and fearful force of nature, we pause and realize that we’ve been there before. We’ve gotten thought the storms, hills and heat, and for that reason we’ll remain poised and execute with intention during this last measure. For opportunity and with commitment.
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
Back in Annapolis, we had made the decision to put aside our feelings about Hurricane Irene. Specifically, there was a tendency for the Team to, in dealing with our frustration around the tremendous inconvenience she had caused, make fun of her. We would call her a ‘non-event’ and other less-flattering things that would help us cope with the frustration of her timing. I’m glad that we put a gag order on making light of her publicly. Because here in New Jersey, she’s not a joke. Not at all.
Ninety-One began with no precipitation, but it would find us eventually. A few team members were rocking sore throats and the onset of cold symptoms, with our leader being among the affected, and actually in the worst condition of all. We pressed on. It would take much worse to sideline this crew, so with commitment we rode. The population density was really becoming more and more evident at this point. Here in New Jersey, one town begins where the other one ends; there is no rural break to separate them. Each has their own personality as well, so traveling though these areas on bicycles really gave us the opportunity to understand them each for what made them unique. Summit became Millburn which them became West Orange and so on and so on. The connectedness of communities was evident, and I thought this was true only in their geographical orientation. I would later be proven wrong about this.
As we rode and the rains picked up again, we began to see more and more damage from Irene – flooded homes, felled trees, debris in the street, homes with no power, sandbags, etc. It clearly hadn’t helped any of these communities that we’re again in the middle of a heavy storm front. It’s sort of like kicking a man when he’s down, I think, to see the reeling communities getting pummeled again by rain and water coursing cruelly through their streets. It might be a little bit until its completely back to normal here in New Jersey.
We checked into our hotel and found that the first floor was closed due to flooding. They still were putting guests into the upper floors, but it was still telling to see, up close and personal, the effects of flooding. Irene and her mutant sister wrecked the first floor of the hotel.
It was all business and all hands on deck once we were checked in. We divided and conquered following a meeting that we had to discuss the mountain of logistics, both on and off the bikes, that stands between us and a strong finish.
We broke for dinner, and prior to our separation as a group, Mark Larson commented that it was cool that most of the other guests in the hotel were relief workers. Leave it to Larson to notice that. I wish it had been me saying it (or even thinking it) but maybe I’ll have the opportunity to beat him to the punch another day. Hmmm…not sure on that one…
Neither the AC nor the heat worked in my room, so I ventured to the overwhelmed froint desk attendant to ask for a fan. In waiting, I struck conversation with some of the relief workers and learned about Omar Helms. Omar is a soldier in the US Army and he is about to deploy to Afghanistan. His brother, Saleem, upon finding out about Team Jesse, told me about him and with enthusiasm, dug into his pockets to donate to our cause. Saleem is a Disaster Recovery guy that’s here from Durham, NC. He and his crew will be onsite for two months dealing with the devastation.
After hearing each other’s stories, we decided that a pic would be appropriate. After some discussion, we agreed that a solemn, ‘no-teeth’ picture would be in order. I handed my camera to one of his friends, and as we posed and he was snapping the pic, he asked ‘Have either of you ever [had a relationship with] a mermaid?’ Teeth were impossible to hide, and his lighthearted friend had brought a little humor into the our lives and also those of the crowd around us. We laughed harder than it had rained the day before.
It’s all about the people. Omar, come home safe!
For the Families of the Fallen…To the Limit!
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
Ninety days?? Really? In some ways it seems like we’ve been on The Ride for two years; when I think back about Fallon, Nevada or even Dodge City, Kansas, it seems like a lifetime ago; it’s almost like it was a different experience altogether. A lot has happened, and the spaces in between have been experiences that defy reason, and many of them are hard for even me to believe, and I’ve actually been there. In other ways, though, The Ride ticks away at a rapid pace that can’t be stopped and feels like we’re moving at light speed. Seems like Cedar City, Utah was just last week, when it was actually a mid -June experience. The consistent things for us though are the challenges that we can expect to see on a daily basis as well as the greatness of the people along the way.
When telling a story, it’s not the best idea to backtrack or to repeat a story that’s already been told. In this case, we’ll make an exception because I’ve got to piggyback on Kevin’s comments about the Manion family. In meeting these courageous people, all of our lives were enriched. This is a family that’s made of Teflon, and together they’ve grown even stronger than ever. The humility with which they approach their story is amazing; when the people of Doylestown offered to create a monument in honor of their son, Travis, they got an answer that they didn’t expect: they were told that the Manion family, Travis included, would be happier if it were not called the Travis Manion Wall, but instead it should be called the Freedom Wall so that others could also be honored and the bigger picture of what Travis fought for would take center stage. Colonel Manion showed grace and strength at dinner when he, in a subtle way, drew in the attention of the table and then asked for Kevin to tell everyone about his friend, fallen hero Jesse Williams. Great people and I couldn’t be any more proud to have them as friends as well as partners.
Day Ninety was, in keeping with the rule that each Day on The Ride has its own challenge, tricky. We’ve been through heat waves, a hurricane, earthquake and three mountain ranges. Why shouldn’t we also experience extreme rains? From the time we woke up on Ninety to the time we went to bed, it rained. Hard. As in, it was a torrential downpour. During the day, we saw every imaginable form of rain, from sideways mist to drops that must have weighed three ounces each. It was heavy the whole time, though, and if often seemed to similar to a Biblical type of wrath. On top of the rain, there were multiple roads closed due to Irene (yeah, she just won’t let go!) and the routes we wound up taking were ad-hoc at best. Several times we had no choice but pedal around the Road Closed signs because there would be no way to get around, otherwise.
The black roads were slick and often completely submerged; when we found hills, they seemed to be alive, with water cascading down in thick waves. Often times the rain was coming down so hard upon the already pooled water that a ten-inch tall carpet of water covered the road and all that surrounded it. Leaves took abuse for hours on end as it poured and poured some more. It was loud, too. When it was really coming down, it was tough to hear the person right next to you, which isn’t always the best for safety. Speaking of safety…turns out that this kind of torrential storm doesn’t do the best for natural lighting and subsequent visibility. It was flat out dangerous out there, as the rain cloaked our surroundings (and to drivers, us) much like the fog we experienced on the way into Charlottesville weeks before.
The hardest part about the day was the temperatures. It had gotten much colder, and while temperatures in the high-fifties may not seem like it would make for a chilly day, I’d challenge you to try it while being soaking wet and riding a bike in it for six or seven hours. Into the biting wind. We were all shivering, and riders took showers at the end of the day while fully clothed, as we couldn’t get any wetter and getting warm was more important than anything else. I would be surprised if this doesn’t take a toll eventually, as we’re supposed to have the same weather for a few more days.
Even with what they day threw at us, we were not stopped from finishing strong. We crossed the New Jersey State line and got our 13th victory. It rained more, but we know that it’s not Jersey’s fault and we’re not going to hold it against her.
Ninety was Kevin Collins’ last day on the trail with us. He’s shipping out to handle some prior commitments but we’ll see him again in a few days for his moral support and participation in the finale event in NYC. He’ll be missed, and I think he was meant to be here in the wake of Irene, as our primary challenge was navigation. The Chief Route Master in Charge was a big part of Act III.
The final leg will feature only one guest rider, and I also suspect divine intervention when I consider the person that’s filling the role. Mark Larson is joining us for the final stage before the ‘blackout days’ (the final two days of The Ride in which only Kevin and I will be pedaling). Both Mince and I have a tremendous respect and appreciation for Mark. I believe him to be one of the very best, if not THE best, community leaders that I’ve ever met. He is respected by all who know him, and he has a knack for finding solutions and thinking issues through from all sides. He is fair and non-judgmental, and has a realistic approach to human nature. I’m grateful that he’s here during this stage, as I’m sure that it will be an emotional time for Kevin, and getting flanked by a guy like Mark would help just about anybody. I just can’t say enough about the strength of this guy, and what’s really amazing is the sense of humor that accompanies these leadership characteristics. Mark has been heavily involved in the Seattle-area lacrosse community since I’ve known him, and his real job is putting bad guys away, as he is the Chief Deputy Prosecutor for King County, which puts him in service of about 4 million people. Mark will add a sense of level-headed calm to the team, and he’ll do it with a sense of righteousness, if that makes sense. He’s a Golf Charlie (Game-Changer) as we head into the final days.
As we go about these last days, we’ll be prepared for more rain, aggressive drivers and also, the unseen challenges that enjoy cropping up to try and thwart our mission. These things drive us, though, and give us purpose. They drive commitment and allow us the opportunity to succeed. Without them, we would simply be riding bikes during the summertime in our beautiful country. But that’s not what this is about; it’s about enduring hardship and committing, willingly, to the sacrifices that need to be made in order to tell the story. The story, by the way, makes even the most difficult of days seem easy and enjoyable.
As miserable as Ninety was (or for that matter, any of her Eighty-Nine sisters have been), it doesn’t hold a sliver of light from a candle’s glow to the pain that’s been felt by so many we’ve me, visited and honored along this journey. For them, we ride in the rain.
For the Families of the Fallen….To the Limit,
Care Creates Community,
Matt Sauri
Rick Hampson includes Kevin Mincio’s story and the Team Jesse mission in USA Today
Sept 11, 2001, the day that defined a decade, was followed by many red letter dates. On Oct. 7, 2001, U.S. troops invaded Afghanistan. Baghdad fell April 9, 2003. We remember when Saddam Hussein was caught (12/13/03) and Osama bin Laden was killed (5/2/11). (Terrorists hit Madrid 3/11/04, and London 7/7/05.)
But the decade since 9/11 also has a less obvious calendar of dates when history pivoted while we weren’t looking.
This calendar is made up of hidden, overlooked, misunderstood, private or secret events, each related directly or indirectly to the attacks. Its dates, momentous and trivial, have shaped the nation in ways large and small.
2/21 Wall Street to Army
Enlistment day for Kevin Mincio, who at 31 is trading a Wall Street office and a beachfront house for a private’s billet in the Army. Five months ago, Mincio stood at Liberty and Church streets in Lower Manhattan and watched a Boeing 767 hit the Trade Center. Now he wants to get out from behind a desk and do something about the crime he saw. He’s an anomaly: Military enlistment doesn’t increase much as a result of 9/11. Mincio serves until May 2005, including a tour in Iraq, then moves to Seattle and starts a new job. On the summer of the 10th anniversary of 9/11, in memory of a buddy killed in Iraq in 2007, he cycles coast-to-coast to raise money for families of fallen vets.
NBC Philadelphia News features Team Jesse by Rosemary Connors, Bruce Ryan
View more videos at: http://nbcphiladelphia.com.
A coast-to-coast journey will end at ground zero in New York on Sunday, the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. A soldier and his friend are riding in memory of a fallen comrade. They call themselves “Team Jesse.”