SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Nothing beats a good morning like biking up and down San Diego’s beautiful Silver Strand.
It’s 14 miles down and back and it’s a ride that Chris Luna and his buddies hardly break a sweat on.
"He did 128-mile gravel ride and I think he finished it in 3 1/2 hours," said Luna. "He's a disabled Marine which just shows you anything can be accomplished."
After getting medically discharged after injuring his leg in the Navy, Luna found himself out of work. The first call he made was to the Warrior Foundation of San Diego.
"Sandy, the CEO said, ‘Let's go shopping,’ because I didn't have suits," said Luna "So they took me to a men's warehouse and got me suits and got me some interviews for a job."
The Warrior Foundation’s primary mission is to get post 9/11 veterans back on their feet and smooth the transition into civilian life.
Not only does Freedom Station 1 and 2 provide housing for service members but it also acts as a gathering place for soldiers missing the comradery of military life.
Luna wanted to rejoin a team and wouldn’t be slowed down by his carbon fiber prosthesis.
"They said, ‘Did you know you have a bike team?’ I said I did, but I don't really know anyone on it. And she goes, ‘Let's go shopping,’" said Luna. "We all became best friends, and we talk every day. We hang out all the time and we go on rides and trips to races. And it was just instant brotherhood that I was missing."
The Freedom Station cycling team is made up of entirely veterans. Though some are dealing with traumatic brain injuries or amputations, the team can really ride.
Medaling in races in Big Bear and Palm Springs. While winning feels good, it feels better to do it as a team. A group of guys from the brotherhood of military service, to teammates in civilian life.
Life is a long road full of bumps and hills, so it’s best to have a buddy riding beside you.
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