Matt King, CEO of Gobundance, had never considered himself a cyclist. But after being inspired by a friend who participated in a charity run across Texas, King decided to take on an ambitious challenge of his own, cycling nearly 2,000 miles from Mexico to Canada while raising money for people in small towns along the route.According to PEOPLE, King ultimately completed the journey in 12 days, one day faster than his original target, while raising more than $766,000 and distributing financial support to more than 70 individuals and organisations.
From an old bicycle to a 2,000-mile challenge
For years, King said he wanted to make a meaningful impact but felt he was mostly “just talking about it.” That changed when he watched a friend take part in a charity run across Texas.The experience gave him the idea for theRIDE, a cycling journey from Mexico to Canada covering approximately 2,000 miles. His original plan was to complete it in 13 days and raise $1 million through the challenge.The money would then be distributed directly to people in rural communities who needed financial assistance.There was, however, one significant obstacle. King was not a cyclist.At the time, the 36-year-old’s only bicycle was an old one hanging on a wall with two flat tyres. He bought a new bike and gave himself five and a half months to prepare.
Training began at 4 a.m.
King and his team completed the journey in 12 days while raising more than $766,000 for people in need. (Photo: Gobundance Foundation)
King trained under the guidance of Colorado professional cyclist, endurance coach and sports nutritionist Joey Hassett. His preparation involved spending hours every day cycling on an indoor trainer at his Texas home.He often began training at 4 a.m. so that he could finish before his wife and three young children, aged between one and seven, started their day.The months of preparation were put to the test almost immediately after the ride began on May 27.On the first day, the team encountered torrential rain and winds reaching 30 mph. King compared the experience to being hit by a BB gun. The riders stopped for four hours when the storm became particularly severe before continuing late into the night to make up the lost time.The problems did not stop there. King broke a cycling shoe, had a shoe clip replaced and, before the team had even left Texas, their support van reportedly broke down 13 times.Yet King continued, keeping the purpose of the journey in mind.“I just keep telling myself we chose (to do) this hard (ride) so that we can provide a direct impact to the people who didn’t get to choose the hard that they’ve been handed,” he said.
Finding people in need along the route
Rather than relying solely on organised applications, King and his team looked for people to help by speaking to residents and businesses in the communities they passed through.They would walk into coffee shops and ask people to share stories of individuals or families who could use financial assistance.The resulting acts of generosity varied widely. The team sometimes left $1,000 tips at restaurants or paid $400 at a car wash run by a girls’ volleyball team for a service that normally cost $40.In one case, they gave a mother $20,000 to help her purchase a new car.
Mother receives $20,000 for a new car
The Gobundance Foundation distributed financial support to more than 70 individuals and organisations along the route. (Photo: Gobundance Foundation)
One of the recipients was Amy Hernandez, 46, a substitute teacher in Dilley, Texas, whose 25-year-old son Seth has autism and epilepsy.Hernandez’s car had no rear air vents, so she used two plastic fans attached to the back of the headrest to help keep her son cool. The Texas heat could trigger his seizures, making travel particularly difficult.According to PEOPLE, Hernandez sometimes drove at night during periods of extreme heat, adjusted her son’s anti-seizure medication schedule and dressed him in moisture-wicking clothes during the two-hour drives to his medical appointments.Buying another vehicle had not been financially possible, particularly after the air conditioning in the family’s mobile home also broke down.Hernandez was secretly nominated by her brother, who had started a charity after losing his son in an ATV accident. When King eventually met her and presented her with a check, she was stunned.“Things like this don’t happen to me,” Hernandez told PEOPLE. “I was completely shocked.”She said King’s gesture made her feel heard and valued.“He made me feel important, that even though I have these obstacles in my life, I still matter,” she said.
Another family receives $10,000
The team also helped Maci Johnson, 30, and her husband Justin, 37, in Hico, Texas.The couple’s 1-year-old son, Carter, was born with only a small portion of a fibula. After consulting several doctors, they were told he would either require multiple surgeries throughout childhood or undergo an amputation of his foot and ankle.The family ultimately chose amputation.Medical expenses, travel for appointments and hotel bills had put additional financial pressure on the family. Johnson, a speech therapist, had reduced her working hours to part-time to accommodate medical appointments, some of which required two-hour drives to Dallas.The family lives in a tiny house that does not have a bedroom for Carter and has limited space for mobility equipment he may eventually need.When the Johnsons were told they had been selected to receive financial support from the Gobundance Foundation, they initially thought it was a scam.King and his team eventually arrived on bicycles and presented the family with a $10,000 check.Johnson said the money could help them put a down payment on a larger home.“It helps give us that silver lining back,” she said. “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel. There’s hope for us to provide better for our kids.”
More than $766,000 raised
By the end of the ride, King had raised more than $766,000, with the total continuing to increase. The money has been distributed among more than 70 individuals and organisations, with individual gifts ranging from $100 to $75,000.One of King’s favourite stops came at Daisy Mae’s Cafe in Arkansas City, Kansas, where locals had gathered for breakfast on a rainy morning after taking a break from working in the fields.King and his team bought breakfast for the entire diner and gave $200 tips to the wait staff.During the stop, one of the crew members also met a local man named Chris, who had lost his home in an electrical fire the previous year. King said Chris and his wife needed $36,000 but were unable to qualify for a new loan.The team decided to help.
‘We get to’ make a difference
The journey ultimately took 12 days rather than the planned 13.Reflecting on the experience, King said his biggest lesson was the impact that can come from simply taking time to listen to people.“We’re showing up in communities that are often overlooked and we’re helping people in need. They’re good, amazing human beings,” he said.King added that many recipients told him the team did not need to help them.“My response is always the same, ‘I know we don’t need to, but we get to,’” he said.Although the physical challenge is over, King says his efforts are far from finished. He is already planning a larger initiative for next year.“The Gobundance Foundation is going to keep doing things to help people in small towns, not just here in America, but worldwide,” King said. “What I really felt at the finish line is I felt like my job wasn’t done yet.”
