This week Lance and I had the unfortunate op
portunity to give several people their "last ride." As some of you may know there was a mother and four children murdered in El Reno, Ok a week or so ago. Their funeral was held this Wednesday. B.A.C.A (Bikers Against Child Abuse)
sent out an e-mail asking for bikers to attend the funeral to help put a buffer between the family and the protesters. Who would protest at a funeral you might ask. Well there is a radical anti war church that is based out of Kansas that protests soldiers funerals. The Patriot Guard Riders (who Lance and I also ride with) attend those funerals to protect the family. There is no violence. If there are protesters we will set up our bikes and stand in front of them so the family doesn't have to see them or the signs they have. If they are shouting we will start our bikes so they can't hear the things they are yelling. Well, Oklahoma got tired of these outrageous acts they started making city ordinances about when and where people could protest. In their eyes this made all Oklahomans evil. Unbelievably they started to attend the funerals of murdered children in Oklahoma telling the families that God is punishing Oklahoma for not allowing them to protest. At the funeral on Wednesday there were 65+ bikes that were able to show up. We were asked to assist the police with the security of the funeral procession and the cemetery. I was honored to be able to help the family lay their loved
ones to rest in peace. Luckily we saw no protesters and everything went smoothly. I have to commend the city of El Reno as well. They took as many precautions as possible. They went to all the property owners along the main pathways the procession would take and informed them if any unwanted people were on their property, they could be arrested for trespassing. Also one of the tactics this church likes to use is burning the American flag. If anyone tried that on Wednesday they would be arrested because Tuesday night El Reno was convienently placed under a burn ban. It was a very sad thing that happened but I was awed at how many people stepped help complete strangers.
Thursday Lance and I attend a funeral for a seven year old boy who died of cancer. For several months now our ABATE group has been following his progress with his illness. His family requested the motorcycle escort from the school where the funeral was held to the cemetery.
There were 85+ bikes that showed up including the Patriot Guard Riders who
brought the flags.
Every Friday a woman in the community would send this little boy a balloon bouquet and a stuffed animal. He decided that the yellow ones were his favorite. For the funeral several of us met early and aired up 800 yellow balloons and tied then along the fence into the cemetery.
When everyone arrived at the cemetery we cut to balloons off the fence and handed them out. Everyone let them go at the same time.
These are the ABATE member that came to support his family on his "last ride."
This was a picture on the ride home. Lance is getting pretty good with a camera.
