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Strokes and heart attacks are most often associated with unhealthy people late in life. But Valrico residents Troy Jones and Mendee Hauck realized that it isn't always so when Jones' healthy nine-year-old nephew suffered a massive stroke that left him in the hospital for weeks and with right side weakness, lack of movement in his right foot and speech concerns a year after the attack.
To raise money and awareness for pediatric stroke research, Jones and Hauck have arranged Cause 2 Ride, a charity motor cross event to benefit the Children's Hemiplegia and Stroke Association (CHASA).
"My nephew has been left disabled from the stroke," says Jones. "He is a bright kid and he will continue to gain more skills back as time goes on, but currently, Brady has severe right side weakness. He can walk, but not how he used to. He can speak but he cannot speak normally and he has trouble getting out his thoughts. Before the stroke, Brady was very healthy and physical. He just learned how to ride a motorcycle five days before."
"Our mission is to get the word out to the public and to the doctors that kids are having strokes," says Jones. "Six out of 100,000 kids will suffer a stroke. Almost 12 percent will die and 66 percent will suffer life long disabilities."
Cause 2 Ride will take place Sunday, March 19 at Bartow Cycle Sports and the all day event will include a motor cross race, with appearances from professional super cross riders Davi Millsaps, Bryan Johnson, Martin Davalos and Eric Vallejo, and performances by the BoostMobile Freestyle MX team including Jim McNeil who recently participated in the Winter X-Games.
To sign-up to participate in the race, visit www.cause2ride.com or call 468-7417. Each rider is asked to get pledges and donations for the cause before riding in the race and for every $10 raised, riders will receive a raffle ticket and the possibility of winning a wide range of motor cross gear including custom graphics kits, goggles, riding gear, shock sets and much more.
Tickets to the stunt event are also available for purchase for $10 for adults and $5 for children six-12 years old.
Bartow Cycle Sports is located at 1585 Centennial Blvd. in Bartow and can be reached at 863-553-5302.
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