Yesterday we brought you the story of 28 year old Burrell Boom resident Jerome Flores who was getting ready to embark on a noble but extremely challenging mission.
It's a cycling trek, dubbed "Ride for Awareness" that will take him the 74 miles across Belize's east-west corridor, Belize City to San Ignacio. IT would be reasonably simple on a bicycle, but Flores, who is paralyzed from the waist down, is riding a recumbent trike - basically a three wheeled machine powered by his hands.
The ride is to bring attention to Belize's small but growing numbers of the physically challenged who want to de-stigmatize those persons living with disabilities.
This morning at Six Thirty A.M., Flores accompanied by a team of professional cyclists and a fellow torch bearer for the cause, 37 year old Adrian Carcama of Orange Walk, set out for the Capital to complete the first leg of the journey. Three and a half hours later, escorted by Belmopan police, the team of riders rolled into the capital. Seven News was there to capture this first and historic moment for the country's physically challenged, and Jim McFadzean got an account on what the first leg of the journey was like.
Jim McFadzean
"How did the ride go this morning?"
Jerome Flores, Rider
"It was very fun, challenging but we all manage to make it all the way to Belmopam with the support of my team and the riders, we were able to make it all the way here in less than what we expected. Last year we rode from Corozal to Belize and some of the areas the breeze was blocking us so like its holding us back. This year everyone taught I was going to ride from Cayo to Belize but I put it the other because riding in the face wind would have punish us. So this morning when we were riding we just feel that calmness because of the breeze that is behind us so that's why were able to make it in less time that we expected. I have never rode from Belize to Belmopan ever in my life when I was walking or now in this wheel chair so it was very interesting and we made it in good time."
Jim McFadzean
"Now besides the wind behind your back I notice that you had several riders accompanying you on this first leg of your journey. Did that help you?"
Jerome Flores
"Yeah, just the guys there at the beginning giving us word of encouragement they say 'just keep going Jerome' and if we needed a little shove or something there were there to assist us so that's why we were able to make it here in very good time."
Jim McFadzean
"Tomorrow I believe this final leg of the journey is going to be more difficult than the first. Am I right?"
Jerome Flores
"For sure. We have a lot more steeper hills; we have Mount Hope everyone is afraid of that hill and it will be challenging. I won't say it won't, it won't be easy for sure but with the support of the riders they will assist us if we need anything. It's not a race its not to prove anything, it's a ride for awareness so we will definitely make it to Cayo tomorrow."
Jim McFadzean
"When you decided to do this, what was your biggest concern?"
Adrian Carcama, Cyclist
"My biggest concern was that i was not going to be able to make it. This is my first time I ride this far."
Jim McFadzean
"So you surprise yourself that's what you are saying?"
Adrian Carcama
"Yeah, to be honest yes I did and this is just one more surprise that I give myself, I am always surprising my own self. Just like anybody would say you always surprise in the things that you do, sometimes even me myself. I always try to do more than I usually know that I can do."
Jim McFadzean
"What's your concern about tomorrow? Obviously is the second leg your final leg is going to be difficult because of the hills involve."
Adrian Carcama
"To be honest to you I made it from Belize to here so I don't really have any kind of concern for tomorrow. I know it's a little bit more difficult because of the hills but then you get a taste of what the road is like."
Jim McFadzean
"You look like you are still in fine shape right now. Do you think that maybe you should have just plan the whole leg in one day?"
Jerome Flores
"As I said I am not doing this to prove anything. This is to raise awareness for persons with disability so I don't need to do it in one thing. I feel good maybe I could have made it all the way but I Just want to take my time and let everyone who want to support us could join us in than if we do it in just day, everybody can't come so that's why I decided to do it in two days. My mom wanted me to do it in three days, but I said mom that's too long. Just to do 25 miles, when I get to mile 25 I feel like I just start riding that's why I decided to do it in two days. I didn't want to do it in one day, maybe in the future."
Adrian Carcama
"We need to show this to the whole country and the whole world that not because the call us handy cap. Handy cap is not the proper word; we have to do something to change that because we are physically challenged. That's all and that's why we are showing this to everybody that not because we have a leg missing or not any legs at all means that we going to sit down on a chair and cry for the rest of your life, you have to get up and do something for your life."
The second leg of the journey will get underway tomorrow at 6 in the morning from Belmopan and the men are hoping to arrive in San Ignacio within Two to Two and a half hours. Flores works for CARE Belize and is currently dedicated to a project aimed at sensitizing Parents and Teachers about children with disabilities in both Pre-School and Day Care settings. Carcama works for Project Hope Belize based in Orange Walk which dedicates itself to providing and equipping Belizeans in need of prosthesis limbs. The organization just recently received a $10,000.00 US donation from Caribbean Cruise Lines. While the service is provided free of costs, those patients in a position to pay, are asked to make a monetary contribution.
