Ohio man to embark on 10,000-mile motorcycle ride for good cause

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) – An Ohio man will soon embark on a 10,000-mile journey he's completed once before, but previously did not think he'd do again, and it's all to help veterans.

In 2020, Patrick Romeo completed the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge. It starts in Florida and ends in Alaska.

“I had no intent on doing that ride again. It is a challenge. It is a difficult ride," Romeo said.

Once riders do the challenge once, they have the number they were assigned forever. Romeo's number is 988. Two years after his first ride, 988 became the number to call for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Once that happened, Romeo decided he needed to do the ride again. 988 is now displayed in several places on his motorcycle.

“To me, just more than a coincidence, that was a sign," he said. "When 988 came out, that's the first thing I thought of was that was my number I can't think of a better way to help our veterans and help promote it than riding across the country with it plastered on my windshield and working with Resurrecting Lives Foundation and getting the word out.”

Participants are required to raise money for a charity or nonprofit. Romeo partnered with the Resurrecting Lives Foundation (RLF) on his first ride. It's a central Ohio based nonprofit that supports veterans' brain health and works to lower the veteran suicide rate. Romeo has partnered with RLF again.

“The fact he has chosen to do this for us again is just the most magnificent gift we could ever ask anybody to do," said Dr. Chrisanne Gordone, RLF's founder. 

Romeo is an Air Force veteran and former firefighter. Through the ride he's still giving back, one dollar, one day and one mile at a time. 

“Everything I’m going to go through on this ride pales in comparison on what many of our veterans have to deal with day in and day out," he said. 

Challenge participants cannot use GPS so Romeo will write directions given to him at each checkpoint on his windshield. They are also required to sleep outside with their motorcycles. 

"It's a small price to pay and it's because of our veterans that I have the luxury that I can make the choice to do this ride," he said. 

Romeo completed his first ride in 13 days. He's hoping to do that again this time around. That comes out to about 770 miles per day. He raised $25,000 dollars through the 2020 ride. The hope is to double that this year. Those interested in supporting RLF through Romeo's ride can do so here.