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Marine Veteran Races In Iceman Cometh Challenge For Special Cause

Thousands of bikers, pedaled away at the Iceman Cometh Challenge in Kalkaska, but one person was racing for a very special cause.

Traverse City native and Marine Veteran, John Reid came all the way from Colorado, racing to raise money for an organization that helped him in a big way.

“I’m extremely lucky, I have friends who didn’t come home, I have friends who have missing limbs and I’m so unbelievably lucky,” says John Reid, Marine Veteran.

Marine Veteran John Reid traveled more than 13-hundred miles from Denver, Colorado to race just 30 miles in Kalkaska. All to raise money for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, a non-profit that helped him back in 2011.

“They helped me out financially, they helped me out with moral support, they talked to me and ever since then, they have just been a little special spot in my heart,” says Reid.

John was serving in Afghanistan when he was shot. The fund helped him get back on his feet, and his bike. His race today raised money for the fund.

“This was the last thing I did before I joined the Marine Corp, so I thought this would be a good setting for me to do what I’m doing and kind of rekindle that friction that I wanted to put on myself. I always believe in paying it forward, they have helped me out so much and I have seen first hand a lot of my brothers get helped out too and I feel like they are an organization that doesn’t have a lot of attention,” says Reid.

John’s goal was to raise two-thousand dollars, he’s now raised nearly fourteen-thousand dollars.

“I love the people in Michigan so much, the reason I came here for this race is because it’s my hometown and I know how giving they are. I am thankful that I get to spend more time with the individuals that have helped me out and will continue to help me,” says Reid.

If you would like to donate to John’s Semper Fi Fund click

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