Arrived safely back in Dublin this morning, assembled the bike (with the help of Pádraig’s friend) and was about to cycle home (in the rain) when I got a message that Pat was going to pick me (and the bike) up from the airport. The relief! Not sure, whether my back side would have cooperated on another cycle, even if it had been only a short one:)

It was great to see Pádraig again, to be back home. I had missed him and the rest of the family.

He is still trialling the gadget that will help him to communicate much better than he can now. One part of it works with grids, showing different objects and reading out their names. Pádraig can then select which one of the objects shown he prefers.

And today, on a grid showing different drinks, he picked banana milk – which only I prepare in our house. I’m sure he really does like banana milk, but I could not have wished for a nicer sign of welcome by Pádraig!

I’ll be going to bed early tonight. Can hardly keep my eyes open.

Support the Great American Cycle I

From Boston to Brewster via Hyannis
26-27 June 2016
Arriving in Brewster (near Bramble Inn) June 27, 10am
www.ansaol.ie/donate

 

 

This is Roy, a gentleman whose son suffered a brain injury some years ago. In 1992, together with other parents, they set up CHIP’s House, a home of our own which provides “a safe, friendly home for people with head injuries”. In 1994, they opened up their first house, they now have two. About 20 survivors of head injuries live here and are being assisted by 48 staff. Their parents, families, and friends set up the house because they did not want their loved ones to be looked after in nursing homes.

Sounds familiar?

I visited Roy in CHIP’s in Centerville today, just a few miles outside of Hyannis, and we agreed to stay in touch and help each other out.

Today, we also got amazing media coverage on the front page of the Cape Cod Times (continued on page 4) and on the front page of the Boston Globe Metro Section.

Sitting on the bus to Boston, in a terrible traffic jam. Will still have to go back to the hostel to collect our bags, go to a couple of pubs where we left collection boxes and get the bike wrapped up in a bike shop (fingers crossed) before going to the airport.

Can’t wait to get back an tell Pádraig about this trip and pass on many regards and best wishes from all of his friends in Boston and the Cape. Next time, he’ll come with us.

Thank you to all who supported us along the way. Keep spreading the word. Remember: this was just a short little trial. The real, second part, of the Great American Cycle will start in Hollywood on 04 October and will arrive in Napa on 14 October:)

In the meantime, please help us raising funds for the An Saol Project. We need to raise €1.5m – and we’ll be getting there!

 

Support the Great American Cycle I

From Boston to Brewster via Hyannis
26-27 June 2016
Arriving in Brewster (near Bramble Inn) June 27, 10am
www.ansaol.ie/donate

There is no escaping – this is it.

One day more!
Another day, another destiny.

No, it’s not about whether Ireland will beat France – I think that’s settled.

It’s whether I will fit into this fancy (funny?) professional racing suit that I got from my sponsors Marin Bikes. And whether, once I’m in it, it’ll hold until we’ll get to the Cape. That is, if we’ll ever get there. – Do you get my mindset? Yes, I’m all fired up, I feel strong and motivated, I’m completely focussed. I know I can do this. I can – can’t I?

You know this is part one of the Great American Cycle (the second will leave Hollywood for Napa on 01 October 2016) in support of the An Saol Project (www.ansaol.ie) and it is gathering some momentum. There are more people signing up as we speak – some will be joining us on Monday morning at 8am for the short ride from Cape Cod Hospital to Main Street, Brewster (close to the Bramble Inn). But there’re also a few who, it looks like, will be joining us tomorrow morning at 6am at the JFK Presidential Libray to go with us all the way.

I’ve been trying to get some rest though, I must admit, it has been challenging. The room here looks and feels a bit like a prison cell – only without the toilet. The beds are exactly the way they look in the Green Mile and, worse, they feel like it too. And right underneath my window must be the headquarters of the South Boston Fire Brigade. We all know that everything in America is a bit bigger – let me tell you, their fire engines are humongous. They must have 10l engines and their horns are modelled on a dinosaur attack in Jurassic Park.

The outside sitting area compensates for all that: it’s really nice, sheltered, and comfortable.

It’s still early still. Cian just went off to the Cape to gather some support. I’ll go on a short run now and give the bike a spin as well, before taking a nap. In the hope there will be less fires in South Boston during the day. And less people returning from parties:)

Here is something you can do: please tweet about the cycle and the Summer Session in the PAV in TCD tomorrow, supporting the cycle. Share the events and pictures on your Facebook pages. Tell everybody about our efforts to raise €1.5m for the An Saol Project and let them know how urgent and necessary it is to support our efforts. We will make this. There is no doubt in my mind. And, with your help, we’ll make it over the coming months, not years or decades. The coming months!

Above all, tell your friends and colleagues about the new www.ansaol.ie and the video on the landing page explaining what we are fundraising for. Go to www.ansaol.ie/donate !

This morning, Cian and I went to the Office of the Attorney General where we met the Chief of the Victim Witness Services Division and the Deputy Chief of the Policy & Government Division. The Deputy Attorney General and the Chief of the Criminal Bureau sent their apologies as they were out of town.

We gave a brief account of the accident, our meeting with the Brewster Police Department and their investigation into the accident, and summarised the content of the letters we had written last year and, again, this year.

We were told that the letter had only reached the desk of the Deputy Attorney General a few days ago. We were given an apology for the unacceptable delay in dealing with our letters. The good news is that the letter will now be dealt with directly by the chief of the Criminal Division. When asked when we could expect a decision on whether a thorough review of the police investigation would be conducted, we were told that this could take approximately one month. We were also told to expect a phone call from the Criminal Division.

When I asked whether a written submission would usually be acknowledged in writing and whether a decision on a written request would be communicated in writing, we were told that this would usually happen via a telephone call.

So what is the net outcome of the meeting?

The fact that the meeting took place by itself was good as it put the issue back on the agenda (if it ever had been on it, that is). The representatives we met and talked to, unfortunately are not the ones who would review the investigation, nor could they give us any opinion on how they felt it was conducted. While their apologies were very much appreciated and certainly very sincere, we will have to wait and see whether anything concrete will come out of it. – I am still so shocked about the way Pádraig’s accident was investigated. Something like this cannot allowed to happen again. This was, after all, and as he acknowledged, the worst accident that the Chief of Police had had to deal with in his career. It merited more attention.

Haven’t got any news from the Áras and Pádraig’s visit there yet – BUT a phone call from the Taoiseach’s office with an apology from the Taoiseach as he could not attend last Saturday’s launch of the An Saol Project. I asked whether I could see the Taoiseach and explain to him what An Saol is all about, at a day and time of his convenience. – I’m now on the waiting list for a meeting:)

Still extremely tired – but will see a couple of Boston-based friends this evening in Harvard Square.

If you were interested – here is the full letter I hope to discuss with the Office of the Attorney General in an hour’s time.

160613 Letter AG and GOV f2

Just click on the link or the image above to read to full letter we wrote on 13 June 2016, together with previous letters and a list of concerns we have in relation to the investigation into the accident by Brewster Police Department.

Support the Great American Cycle I

From Boston to Brewster via Hyannis
26-27 June 2016
Arriving in Brewster (near Bramble Inn) June 27, 10am
www.ansaol.ie/donate

On the plane to Boston. Still can’t believe I made it. The panic all day yesterday and today. I’m probably too tired to think of all the stuff I didn’t manage to do. Looking on the bright side of things: I managed to get the bike geared up and packed into a box (with the help of the great people and supporters at Little Sport), I managed to prepare and, this morning, deliver a speech at the Neurological Alliance Ireland launch of their campaign “We need our heads examined”, and I got my back packed to arrive on time at the airport!

The launch of the NAI campaign was great with some really remarkable people. Alexis Donnelly who had had joined us on Saturday for the launch of the An Saol Project also spoke – and I’m getting this feeling that we are very much on the same wavelength. For the first time in my life I ‘drove’ an electric wheelchair through town – not my own, but Alexis’ – from Leinster House to the Mansion House. I really felt for Alexis and hope it wasn’t too bad for him.

Sitting on the plane, drinking Coke to keep me going until we’ll land in Boston. I’m just too wound up to sleep.

And look at this plane! Is this coincidence?

What, for a time, looked like a pretty low-key affair, is now beginning to turn into a possibly great awareness and fundraising cycle from Boston to Brewster via Hyannis, with Cian and Neil, two of Pádraig’s friends. It all just came together at the last minute.

I’ll now have a meeting with the Attorney General’s office tomorrow morning (mentioned that earlier, I vaguely remember:) and on Monday, when we’ll arrive in Brewster, we’ll be met by a Cape Cod journalist and photographer. Even better – a writer from the Globe is also planning to be there when we’ll arrive at 10am on June 27 in Brewster, near the Bramble Inn, where Pádraig was hit by the van.

In parallel, there will be a great summer fest in the PAV in TCD with great music and a screen showing what will, most likely, be Ireland’s last match in the Euros.

Pádraig was doing very well this morning using, for the first time, his new communication device and software, all being set up by his therapist who could not be more helpful and connected with Pádraig. Imagine, this device can become Pádraig’s voice (until he’ll have learned to use his voice again) and his tool for communication.

I’m feeling less scared of the whole enterprise than I did even a few days ago. It’ll all work out. Someone close to me said “think of Pádraig when you’ll be cycling. He’ll keep you going.” That’s what I’ll do. And I know I’m not the first one who Pádraig has inspired to do things they never thought they were capable of.

Finally, here is something you can help us with: tweet, email, Facebook about the Great American Cycle (Part I) and the Big Party in the PAV. Above all, tell them about the new www.ansaol.ie and the video on the landing page explaining what we are fundraising for. Go to www.ansaol.ie/donate !

Last night, when I turned Pádraig, I checked my email.

There was a message from the Deputy Attorney General of Massachusetts telling me that she was getting a team together who will meet me tomorrow in Boston. Many of you wrote letters and messages last year to the Attorney General’s Office, as we did, asking them to review the Brewster Police Department’s investigation into Pádraig’s accident. Most of you, as we, did not get an appropriate response – I received two phone calls from her Civil Rights Division, but no written follow-up. Earlier this month, I sent a follow-up letter to the Attorney General, the Governor, and the consulates, embassies and Departments of Foreign Affairs of Ireland and Germany. – Maybe something is happening now.

Maybe then, when, God forbid, another young J1 foreign student cycling on the Cape gets injured on his cycle by a local driver of car – at least there will be a thorough, un-biased, and independent traffic accident investigation involving more than just the local police investigating. Because they will know that they won’t get away with it.

This morning, I will pack the rest of my stuff. I will give a brief talk at the launch of the Neurological Alliance Ireland’s brilliant campaign for neuro-rehabilitation, “We need our heads examined”, and will head up to the airport with a big box packed yesterday by my sponsors Little Sport, the best bike shop north of the Liffey, containing the fabulous Marin Bike, sponsored by the manufacturer. A big Thank You to both Little Sport in Fairview and Marin in California!