Wounded Military Personnel Bike Through Florida Keys

Summary

Wounded military personnel and their supporters pedaled across the Seven Mile Bridge and sections of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway Friday during the annual Soldier Ride cycling event from Key Largo to Key West.

WWP Soldier Ride 2022 - 04

A portion of participants in Soldier Ride crosses the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, near Marathon, Fla. Soldier Ride is an event staged by the Wounded Warrior Project to help restore injured soldiers' physical and emotional well-being. Soldier Ride, with about 40 wounded warriors and their supporters taking part, has activities set for Key West on Saturday, Jan. 8, and concludes back in Marathon Sunday, Jan. 9, with participants interacting with dolphins at Dolphin Research Center. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Joseph Dickinson/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO)
WWP Soldier Ride 2022 - 03

U.S. Marine Capt. Andrew Hairston, front, pedals a recumbent bicycle across the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, near Marathon, Fla., during Soldier Ride, an event staged by the Wounded Warrior Project to help restore injured soldiers' physical and emotional well-being. Soldier Ride, with about 40 wounded warriors and their supporters taking part, has activities set for Key West on Saturday, Jan. 8, and concludes back in Marathon Sunday, Jan. 9, with participants interacting with dolphins at Dolphin Research Center. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO)
WWP Soldier Ride 2022 - 02

W@ounded warriors are hailed by Florida Keys residents and visitors Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Marathon, Fla., during Soldier Ride, an event staged by the Wounded Warrior Project to help restore injured soldiers' physical and emotional well-being. Soldier Ride, with about 40 wounded warriors and their supporters taking part, has activities set throughout the Florida Keys including Key West on Saturday, Jan. 8, and back in Marathon Sunday, Jan. 9, with participants interacting with dolphins at Dolphin Research Center. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO)
WWP Soldier Ride 2022 - 01

U.S. Army Sgt. Eric Trinidad, front left, and U.S. Marine Capt. Andrew Hairston, front right, pedal recumbent bicycles across the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, near Marathon, Fla., during Soldier Ride, an event staged by the Wounded Warrior Project to help restore injured soldiers' physical and emotional well-being. Soldier Ride, with about 40 wounded warriors and their supporters taking part, has activities set for Key West on Saturday, Jan. 8, and concludes back in Marathon Sunday, Jan. 9, with participants interacting with dolphins at Dolphin Research Center. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO)
WWP Soldier Ride 2022 - 04

A portion of participants in Soldier Ride crosses the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, near Marathon, Fla. Soldier Ride is an event staged by the Wounded Warrior Project to help restore injured soldiers' physical and emotional well-being. Soldier Ride, with about 40 wounded warriors and their supporters taking part, has activities set for Key West on Saturday, Jan. 8, and concludes back in Marathon Sunday, Jan. 9, with participants interacting with dolphins at Dolphin Research Center. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Joseph Dickinson/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO)
WWP Soldier Ride 2022 - 03

U.S. Marine Capt. Andrew Hairston, front, pedals a recumbent bicycle across the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, near Marathon, Fla., during Soldier Ride, an event staged by the Wounded Warrior Project to help restore injured soldiers' physical and emotional well-being. Soldier Ride, with about 40 wounded warriors and their supporters taking part, has activities set for Key West on Saturday, Jan. 8, and concludes back in Marathon Sunday, Jan. 9, with participants interacting with dolphins at Dolphin Research Center. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO)
WWP Soldier Ride 2022 - 02

W@ounded warriors are hailed by Florida Keys residents and visitors Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, in Marathon, Fla., during Soldier Ride, an event staged by the Wounded Warrior Project to help restore injured soldiers' physical and emotional well-being. Soldier Ride, with about 40 wounded warriors and their supporters taking part, has activities set throughout the Florida Keys including Key West on Saturday, Jan. 8, and back in Marathon Sunday, Jan. 9, with participants interacting with dolphins at Dolphin Research Center. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO)
WWP Soldier Ride 2022 - 01

U.S. Army Sgt. Eric Trinidad, front left, and U.S. Marine Capt. Andrew Hairston, front right, pedal recumbent bicycles across the Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys Friday, Jan. 7, 2022, near Marathon, Fla., during Soldier Ride, an event staged by the Wounded Warrior Project to help restore injured soldiers' physical and emotional well-being. Soldier Ride, with about 40 wounded warriors and their supporters taking part, has activities set for Key West on Saturday, Jan. 8, and concludes back in Marathon Sunday, Jan. 9, with participants interacting with dolphins at Dolphin Research Center. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO)

MARATHON, Florida Keys -- Wounded military personnel and their supporters pedaled across the Seven Mile Bridge and sections of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway Friday during the annual Soldier Ride cycling event from Key Largo to Key West.

Nearly 40 individuals participated in the event, organized by the Wounded Warrior Project to provide inspiration and raise funds for injured soldiers recovering in American military hospitals.

Although some riders are missing one or more limbs from combat injuries, they used specially adapted bicycles.

WWP cross-country and Florida Keys bicycle trips provide physical rehabilitation for injured soldiers and raise money to help foster veterans' independence, arrange needed transport for soldiers between home and hospital, and develop peer-mentoring programs.

The Keys Soldier Ride continues Saturday through Key West, with an additional community ride where the public can cycle with the warriors past historic Key West military sites.

Sunday, the group is scheduled to interact with dolphins at Marathon's Dolphin Research Center.

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?Story: Wounded Military Personnel Bike Through Florida Keys
Locator Super: Marathon, Florida Keys
Video: Video to match this story is available on the Florida Keys News Bureau's FTP server and is available via Google Drive link here. Ground level and drone aerial B-roll of warriors crossing the Seven Mile Bridge.
TRT: 1:15
Filename: SoldierRide2022.mp4
Video source: Florida Keys News Bureau

FTP Information*
Host: ftp://216.194.165.19/
UserID: floridakeys@news.fla-keys.com
Password: islands
Folder: News Video
Filename: SoldierRide2022.mp4