LE CLAIRE, Iowa — When a loved one receives a life-changing medical diagnosis, it can take a toll on not only the person but those around them too. Being on the outside looking in as family members battle these conditions can leave people feeling disheartened and at a loss.
Tony Terronez, an East Moline native who currently lives in LeClaire, has first-hand experience in this scenario. Back in October 2021, he lost one of his cousins, Raphael, to leukemia and in February 2022, lost another cousin, Michael, to ALS, which is also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.
"Growing up, all us cousins were close," Terronez said. "I grew up on the river. And I think when I was younger, after we would go to church on Sundays, my dad would take the family out for a breakfast, brunch or whatever." He said that this tie to the river is what helped inspire his specific ride.
Grieving for both of his relatives, Terronez knew he had to do something. That's why he began planning a roughly 2,200-mile bike ride from Minnesota to Louisiana back in August of this year. Along the ride, Terronez would raise funds for ALS and leukemia research.
Terronez's ride along the Mississippi River Trail started at Lake Itasca in Minnesota and ended in Venice, Louisiana, going from Aug. 14 and ending on Oct. 27. He said he took the ride in sections, usually doing 30-mile increments at a time.
"I thought I'd have a couple of spills here and there, but no. God gave me good health," he said. "I got stronger along the way."
The experience brought him not only closer to his lost relatives but reminded him of the importance of family.
"We've done it, Michael. We did it, Ray," Terronez says as he completes his trek. "What a journey."
More on leukemia and ALS
Leukemia occurs when cancer forms in a person's blood cells, according to the National Cancer Institute. The type of leukemia someone has depends on the kind of blood cell that becomes cancerous, along with how quickly it grows. It occurs in adults over 55 years old the most often but is the most common cancer for children under 15.
In addition to riding for leukemia research, Terronez was also raising money for ALS research. According to the ALS Association, someone is diagnosed with ALS every 90 minutes. It's a neurodegenerative disease affecting nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain which eventually affects people's ability to move, eat, speak and breathe. There is still no cure for the disease.
Currently, Terronez has raised around $1,600 for ALS and leukemia research. You can donate to his ALS research donation page here or to his page for leukemia research here.
Watch more news, weather and sports on News 8's YouTube channel