BALTIMORE — A dad is taking an adventure to change lives.
Jeff Bekos is riding his bike across the country, more than 4,000 miles, to help raise awareness and money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities, an organization that helped him during the worst time of his life.
In late July, he started this journey in Orange, California. He has visited 22 Ronald McDonald House Charities while on this ride.
"We're all human beings. We all have a journey and I just believe we all need to help each other," said Bekos.
11 years ago, his family endured the toughest time of their life, watching his 13-year-old daughter Hailey face a near-death experience.
"She woke up one morning and said dad, can you make me breakfast and I said sure. Within 15 seconds, she stopped talking and she had this craziest expression on her face. I thought she having a stroke," said Bekos.
"My wife and I were like just like, holy smokes. From totally normal to now within 48 hours having three seizures, and then two days later she stopped breathing. They had a performance emergency tracheotomy and then the following week, falling into this coma for four months and then ultimately being diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis," said Bekos.
In addition to a sick daughter and losing his job, he saw a medical bill that was $2.4 million. With troubles stacking themselves at what seemed to be an infinite rate, the Ronald McDonald House Charities stepped in.
"They provide all of the comforts of home. It becomes your home away from home and so anything and everything that you need, they're there to help and support you in any way that they can and if they don't have things on property to help, they find ways to help you," said Bekos.
Nearly 4,000 miles into this amazing journey, Bekos has raised nearly $680,000 to help out various houses across the country.
"He's representing all of our parents and doing what they wish they could do so many of them just have many other obligations and challenges to deal with," said Sandy Pagnotti, the President and CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland.
"They have the largest hearts. There's a compassion for others. It's just been phenomenal meeting the volunteers," said Bekos.
He is expected to arrive at the Baltimore House between 11:30 am and noon Saturday. He says he's looking forward to helping them out however they see fit and meeting everyone at this house.
He'll wrap up this tour Monday when he returns to the Philadelphia House where he and his family stayed.
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