Trauma can come in two forms, at least when you're involved in an accident. The first is the accident itself and toll it reaps on your body. My father nearly lost his leg forty years ago from a stump chipping accident. But there's a secondary toll, too. That one occurs when, due to your incurred injuries, you're no longer able to do the things you once did.
In my dad's case, running and being active.
That toll can weigh on you. It can weigh on your soul. And it can feel as if you're in that accident over and over again as its grip won't let you leave. I remember myself grappling with getting back on a motorcycle after my big crash, and that was nothing compared to some folks' experiences.
And while there are those who still have the mental fortitude to return, it's sometimes cost-prohibitive to do so, or even attempt to do so. For those who've lost limbs, replacements aren't cheap. And for replacements that are useful, work no matter what, and allow you to once again regain that semblance of your life, well those are expensive AF.
That's the reasoning behind the "Missing Parts" motorcycle charity ride that Emerald Coast Harley-Davidson and influencer and veteran Justin Nunley are putting on this June. Check out the video below.
As you can see, Nunley conceived the idea for the ride with an amputee named Joel Rooker who showed up at Emerald Coast Harley-Davidson one day. After waiting to meet the one-armed man who still rode motorcycles, Nunley asked Joel how it all worked, which he showed him. However, the impetus for the ride began when Joel told Nunley how much the rig that allowed him to still ride cost.
That number? A cool $50,000+. Wolf whistle.
Nunley then worked with Joel and Emerald Coast to put together the "Missing Parts" ride because, "People shouldn't be held back from doing shit they love just because of money," Nunley stated in the original video meetup with Joel. And thus, the ride was hatched. Over the months since then, they've worked to make it a reality, which it will be on June 28th and starting at Emerald Coast Harley-Davidson.
According to the dealership's site, "Join Justin 'Danger' Nunley, Joel Rooker, and Emerald Coast Harley-Davidson for the first-ever Missing Parts Ride on Saturday, June 28th in Fort Walton Beach, FL to help get amputees the support they need to be back on two (or three) wheels!"
Nunley goes on to state, "We're going to put as many people back on bikes we possibly can." Hopefully, he, Rooker, and Emerald Coast does just that as no one should carry that second weight just because they lacked the funds to fight back.
