KILLEEN, TX — Veterans from across the country are hitting the road and peddling from Austin to Arlington this week.
Since 2008, Project Herohas been helping veterans and first responders down the road to recovery through a shared love of cycling.
This week, they are on a mission to peddle their way across Texas, and on Wednesday they landed in Killeen.
Veterans from across the country travel from all over to participate in the long-distance group rides to band together as brothers and sisters in a common challenge.
"This kind of helps us to have a purpose and a mission. Like hey, I'm going to go ride in say the California challenge in October or, I'm going to ride in golf challenge and this one the Texas challenge. You have a purpose to ride and a purpose to go for,” said U.S Army veteran Armand Brasseur.
Project Hero organizes ride challenges all over the U.S., and even overseas like Denmark and Holland.
Some of the riders in this year’s Texas challenge were stationed on Fort Hood. On Thursday, they’re going back but this time, in a different uniform.
"Soldiers come out and cheer for us, in fact one of our riders this year was one of those active duty soldiers several years ago. He was cheering for us coming in. Tomorrow morning he’s going to get cheered for as he rides in, by the active duty soldiers. It's going to be quite a moment,” said Peter Bylsma, Director of Marketing Communications for Project Hero.
Project Hero said they started the group to help people with all types of battle scares. Those with PTSD are just some of the veterans and first responders heading down the path with Project Hero.
