RIDING FOR LOVE

BY ALEX K.W. SCHULTZ SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

When Sam Van Why hops on his 22-speed Cannondale bicycle in a few weeks to take on a rugged 45-mile ride, it will be the perfect metaphor for what the Castle Rock resident’s life has been.

e ride won’t be easy. In fact, Van Why may feel like he’s “just surviving” at times as he pumps his legs over and over for nearly four

But the retired college professor, you can be sure, will keep going. He won’t for a moment think about stopping, even if his 74-year-old legs and body are pleading with him to do so. He’ll push and push until he crosses the nish line. at’s what Donna would have wanted. e Alzheimer’s Association Ride to End ALZ Colorado will start and end right outside Colorado State University’s Canvas Stadium. e route Van Why has chosen will take him south from Fort Collins, back north to Laporte, along the foothills of Horsetooth Reservoir and nally back to where he started — about the same distance from Fort Collins to Boulder.

On Dec. 8, 2022, Van Why lost the love of his life, his wife of nearly 30 years, to Alzheimer’s disease.

On June 11, he will ride for her.

“Oh yeah,” he said when asked if he’s looking forward to the ride. “Just surviving 45 miles.”

Van Why isn’t a stranger to the Ride to End ALZ — this will be his third one.

Bike trip will be in memory of wife lost to Alzheimer’s

He’s also not a stranger to the kinds of trials and tribulations most people can’t even bear to imagine.

In 1992, his rst wife, Carol, died of kidney cancer. e couple was married for 21 years and had three daughters together.

Less than a decade later, Van Why’s mother, Lucille, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She passed away in 2008.

Seven years later, in 2015, his beloved sister-in-law, Bev, succumbed to frontotemporal dementia. A mere six months after Bev died, her husband and Van Why’s brother, Duane, died of Alzheimer’s. en, only a few months after Duane passed away, Van Why received the diagnosis he suspected was coming but still didn’t want to hear or believe — Donna had Alzheimer’s. at was in 2017. She died ve years later.

A more natural approach to urbanism.

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Yoga in the Park

Join RidgeGate and South Suburban Parks and Recreation for free community yoga classes on the grass at the south end of Belvedere Park, at the corner of RidgeGate Circle and Belvedere Lane. Please bring your own mat, water bottle and towel to all classes. In case of heavy rain or lightning, class will be cancelled.

Tuesday, May 30th, 6:30-7:30pm

Tuesday, June 27th, 6:30-7:30pm

Guided Nature Hikes

Each year, RidgeGate teams up with the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District to provide free, guided nature hikes. These hikes are led by professional naturalists from the district, and offer insight and education into the natural ecosystems within the open space at RidgeGate. Registration is required and available at RidgeGate.com

Sunday, May 21st, 8-9:30am – Nature Bingo

Saturday, June 3rd, 7:30-9pm – Strawberry Moon

Friday, June 16th, 6:30-8pm – Birds at Sunset

Monday, June 19th, 6-7:30pm – Juneteenth Commemorative Evening Walk

Summer Beats Concerts

Enjoy these summertime concerts out on the grass with free live music, food trucks and activities for kids. It’s all happening in Prairie Sky Park, just west of the Lone Tree Recreation Center, courtesy of the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District.

Thursday, June 15th, 6-8pm – Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts

Tunes on the Terrace at the Lone Tree Arts Center

RidgeGate is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Lone Tree Arts Center’s ‘Tunes on the Terrace’—an outdoor evening concert series that will bring your summer nights to life. Check out the full schedule and buy tickets at LoneTreeArtsCenter.org

Friday, June 23rd, 8pm – Six One Five Collective

Experience Historic Schweiger Ranch

The restoration of the 38-acre historic Schweiger Ranch, led by the Schweiger Ranch Foundation, gives us a glimpse into settlers’ lives. Today, the ranch is open to the public for self-guided visits and a variety of events throughout the year. Register for or learn more about these events online at SchweigerRanch.org

Saturday, May 20th, 9-11am – Natural Heritage Walking Tours with SSPRD (Spring Wildflowers)

Saturday, June 17th, 10-11am – Guided Public Tour

Saturday, June 17th, 7:30-9am – Natural Heritage Walking Tours with SSPRD (Birds of Schweiger Ranch)

Saturday, June 17th, 6-8pm – Campfire Storytelling Series (The McDaileys)

All events are held within the RidgeGate community, just south of Lincoln Avenue, on both sides of I-25.

“Duane was an expressive driver, too. I can see him making his way to the front gates of heaven when Donna was on her way in so he could welcome her and show her around,” Van Why said, his eyes watering over.

Van Why and Donna met in the early 1990s through work. She was a patient lady. She was kind. She was generous. She always went out of her way to help people. ose are just a few of the reasons why Van Why loved her so much.

And he loved her to the very end, caring for her in their Castle Rock home from the time she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s until her death.

“Any time she saw somebody who needed something, she wanted to jump in and help,” Van Why said. “I don’t know how many times we saw somebody on the corner with a dog, and she would have me go to the nearest grocery store to get dog food and take it back to them. She was very caring.”

Van Why said he bikes because exercise has been shown to stave o or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s in people who are predisposed to it, because it’s a great social activity, and because it helps him take his mind o the pangs of life, if only for the briefest of moments.

As of May 10, Van Why had raised over $6,000 for his Ride to End ALZ contribution. All the money will go toward Alzheimer’s research projects.

So, why does the septuagenarian keep ghting when so much has already been thrown at him?

“My three daughters are still healthy. One’s in Colorado Springs, one’s in Pueblo and one’s in Las Cruces, New Mexico,” he said. “I have eight grandchildren, and they’re all really sweet.”

On June 11, he will ride for them. And, of course, for Donna.