A few years ago, El Tour shared our story — not as a headline or a statistic, but as a family navigating something we never expected. 💛
At the time, we were just beginning what would become A Race Against Blindness. We were learning, building, and trying to move quickly in a space where time feels incredibly personal.
You can still read that original feature here:
👉 https://eltourdetucson.org/20919-2/
Since then, so much has changed.
And yet, in many ways, the reason we started hasn’t changed at all.
Back on the Bike — and Back Where This Began
This weekend, I’ll be riding in El Tour de Zona, a multi-day cycling experience through Southern Arizona.
It’s not a race. There’s no podium, no finish-line pressure. It’s something better — time on the bike, time in community, and time to reflect.
If you’ve never heard of El Tour de Zona, it’s a three-day cycling tour that showcases the beauty of Southern Arizona while bringing together riders of all levels. It’s about the experience, not the outcome — and that feels especially meaningful this time around.
👉 Learn more about El Tour de Zona:
https://eltourdetucson.org/el-tour-de-zona/
For me, this ride feels like a full-circle moment.
What Has Changed Since That First Story
When El Tour first featured us, A Race Against Blindness was still in its early stages.
Today, we’ve:
- Funded over $5.1 million toward gene therapy research
- Helped accelerate progress toward a clinical trial for BBS1
- Built a growing community of supporters, families, and advocates
- Shared our story across platforms we never imagined reaching
But the most important thing hasn’t changed:
This mission is still deeply personal.
Every step forward — every grant, every fundraiser, every mile — is tied to a very real urgency. For our family, and for so many others, this isn’t abstract.
It’s time.
Why I’m Riding This Weekend
I’m not riding El Tour de Zona to compete.
I’m riding to represent.
- To represent children living with rare genetic conditions like Bardet-Biedl Syndrome
- To represent families who are navigating uncertainty with courage
- To represent a community that believes progress is possible — and worth fighting for
And honestly, I’m riding because I love this sport. Cycling has always been a place where I can think clearly, process everything, and move forward — physically and mentally.
This weekend, those miles will carry more meaning than usual.
The Power of Community — Then and Now
One of the things that stood out most when El Tour first shared our story was the sense of community.
That hasn’t changed.
Whether it’s a local ride, a national event, or a multi-day tour like Zona, there’s something powerful about people coming together — each with their own reasons for being there.
Some ride for fun.
Some ride for challenge.
Some ride for something bigger.
This weekend, I’ll be carrying all of those reasons with me — especially the bigger ones.
Grateful to Still Be Part of the Journey
We’re incredibly grateful to the El Tour team for sharing our story when they did — and for continuing to create events that bring people together in meaningful ways.
Even now, we still see support come through from the El Tour community. It’s a reminder that stories travel farther than we expect, and that people care in ways we may never fully see.
That kind of support matters more than we can put into words.
Looking Ahead
This ride isn’t the finish line. It’s just another step in a much longer journey.
But moments like this — being back on the bike, back in the Arizona landscape, and back connected to a community that helped share our story early on — they matter.
They remind us where we started.
And why we keep going.
If you’re following along this weekend, thank you.
If you’ve supported us in any way, thank you.
And if you’re just learning about A Race Against Blindness for the first time — welcome.
👉 You can learn more about our mission here:
https://araceagainstblindness.org/
