'I have no words to express my gratitude': Military Sgt. bikes from Manitoba to Lethbridge raising money for charity
Sgt. Rob Nederlof wrapped up a gruelling trek that involved cycling from Wawanesa, Manitoba all the way to Lethbridge on Thursday afternoon.
But what seemed like an exhausting task for most didn't have Sgt. Nederlof all that fazed at all.
"How are the legs feeling now? Actually, they're still feeling pretty good! I could bike a little bit further if I had to," Nederlof said in an interview with CTV News.
The goal of the 'Prairie Thousand' ride was to raise $5,000 for Wounded Warriors Canada and the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Support Dog Program.
By the end of the ride, Rob and his wife Marina had raised roughly $7,000.
"I was actually amazed that we made $5,000 and then people just kept on donating," said Sgt. Nederlof.
"It's overwhelming. I was just amazed."
Sgt. Nederlof has completed three tours of duty throughout his military career, one in Bosnia and two in Afghanistan.
Having seen the impact PTSD has had on his brothers in arms and then watching how much of a difference support animals make in helping veterans and first responders adjust to everyday life, the Nederlofs said it was an easy decision to support Wounded Warriors.
The goal of the 'Prairie Thousand' ride was to raise $5,000 for Wounded Warriors Canada and the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Support Dog Program. By the end of the ride, Rob and his wife Marina had raised roughly $7,000.
"He's seen what their life kind of crumbles into when they have PTSD," said Marina Nederlof.
"These dogs give people their life back. They allow the veterans to function in society, allow them to be in a crowd, allow them to enjoy life again, and that's very important to us."
Despite dealing with a fierce headwind for the first two days of the effort, Nederlof said the people he was fortunate enough to meet along the way helped him power through to the finish line.
His journey gained the attention of first responders and local police departments along the way with some even offering him a police escort through town.
Even after he passed the finish line, donations kept rolling in, including a $1,000 cheque from the local Order of the Eastern Star Lethbridge chapter just moments after the excursion wrapped up.
"I have no words to express my gratitude. It's amazing," said Nederlof.
The Nederlofs are planning on pushing the envelope next year for the second fundraising effort in support of Wounded Warriors Canada, biking all the way to Edmonton instead of Lethbridge and upping their fundraising goal.
To make a donation to this year's fundraising campaign, visit the Prairie Thousand website.
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