Bikers preserve spirit of service before Memorial Day with visit to veterans in long-term care
May 24—CLARKSBURG — Eddie Shannon roared up the driveway on his motorcycle to the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center with several of his fellow veteran bikers Thursday afternoon.
Shannon, who is from Cottageville, West Virginia, and several other veterans undertook their yearly pilgrimage to California on their bikes, before returning to Washington, D.C. in time for Memorial Day. Along the way, they stop at VA hospitals which lay on the route.
"What we say is, 'I rode a motorcycle from California all the way here just to visit you,' whenever we get talking to veterans and stuff," Shannon, 60, said. "Some veterans, that's a relief. You go out and ride, the ones that can, it is mind clearing. Sometimes you need a curvy road to get your mind straight. And don't ever underestimate the power of loud music."
Shannon and the other riders on the National Veterans Awareness Ride who arrived in Clarksburg on Thursday may be the only visitors veterans at the VA Hospital receive in a year.
The riders doled out cards made by schoolchildren as well as pins to hospitalized vets, so they don't feel forgotten. Shannon said remembering veterans is important because they are the reason Americans enjoy the freedoms they do, as well as to remember those that came before. The holiday itself is one of remembrance and gratitude for the sacrifices made by the country's uniformed service members.
"There are some veterans in some of the homes that have five, six, seven pins," Shannon said. "They've been there that long. Every year we give them another pin and it's just something for their memory to keep them going."
Shannon served as a firefighter in the U.S. Air Force and then in the National Guard where he loaded aircraft and worked for the Army in a weapons of mass destruction team. His work took place in the state.
The ride itself is a 13 day-trek which has been going on for near 20 years. It started out as Rolling Thunder before taking its current shape. Shannon joined them after purchasing his bike three months before. After revealing he served in Desert Storm and Operation Just Cause, he made an impromptu induction on the spot, and told him their mission was to give Vietnam veterans the welcome home they never received.
Since then, Shannon has made it farther out each time on the ride until this year when he went all the way.
Outside, Nassif Rohanna conversed with another one of the riders, Dan Clemmons. The biker visit was an added delight for Rohanna, 99, who spent the first part of his day enjoying the birds who make their home around the hospital. Rohanna will be 100 in October and could have easily been a crack media relations officer in another life.
"Well my God it thrilled me to death," Rohanna said. "I'll tell you, I appreciate these brothers here. I'm very proud of him, proud of all the guys in this service. Not only them but the service people here. You wouldn't believe how they take care of you here. I never in my life thought I'd ever see something like this. They can't do enough for you. I'll tell you honest to God, it's wonderful."
Rohanna served in the U.S. Army and lauded the hospital as a five star resort.
Sean McGinty, public affairs specialist for the VA, said this is the second to last stop for the riders. Washington, D.C. is next. Before the riders arrive, McGinty takes a walk through the hospital and notifies the hospital's patients. He takes stock of who wants a visit and who wants their privacy, so that the bikers' visit is a positive one.
Although the visit only takes place for a few hours it takes months of coordination. Preparing for the visit begins in February. Communication between doctors, nurses, hospital leadership and the National Veterans Awareness Organization must take place to ensure a smooth experience for everyone.
It all pays off once the bikers arrive. McGinty said the veterans at the hospital get excited about the visit.
Serving in the military and putting oneself in the path of harm is a selfless act, McGinty said. Serving in the military is a selfless act, he said.
"By showing that there are folks out there willing to ride motorcycles all the way across the country and face weather, danger, be away from their families just to come thank them," McGinty said. "It really recognizes the fact that selfless service is appreciated by everybody in this nation."
Reach Esteban at efernandez@timeswv.com
