Blessing The Robert Toland Family

Every year at the Memorial Day Ride from Gowanda Harley to Spragebrook Park something really touches my heart. This year three things really touched me. John Reed planned a different route this year, we went past Sgt. James Hackemer's Mother's and Fathers house, they had a camcorder sent up on the right and left side of the street so that Sgt Hackemer can watch it someday, see he is still recovering from having both of his legs blown off in Iraq, http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/16771936.html as we went past his parents house, everyone was standing outside, waving and smiling, then when they were no longer in site, it hit me... The cost of Freedom for me to Worship, ride, and speak my mind .... part of the cost was Sgt Hackemer's legs...... then we rode on, me with tears in my eyes and the cost in my heart, we turned down Rt. 39, there were bikes in front of me as far as I could see, I looked in my mirror, and there were bikes behind me as far as I could see. Then I looked to my right, and standing by himself in a driveway was an older gentleman, with his ball cap in his right hand, his cap covering his heart, standing at attention.... Not only was I touched, this man was touched by us riding our motorcycles on Memorial Day, he came out of his house because of the rumble, and honored us for honoring him.... I tell you I totally lost it, I could not hold back the tears.... his image will be forever engraved in my mind and my heart, I was thinking I wish I was an artist, I wish I could draw that which is engraved in me. A moment in time captured in my mind......... The rest of the ride was nice, and the lady sitting on the sidewalk with her English Bulldog made me laugh, we got to the park and the Memorial day service was really good, at the end, a Vet from VietNam who had lost his hand always sings the cost of Freedom and throws a stone into the memorial pond in memory of his friend he lost in VietNam, we were going to share that time with him, and I looked up and saw a mother and daughter looking at a memorial brick just crying their eyes out, I went up to her and asked her who she lost, and she said though her tears "my son in Iraq" I gave her a big hug, and asked G-d to give her peace, and asked her to join us, as we sang "The Cost Of Freedom" She and her daughter joined us, we hugged and parted......