Saugus man provides reason to ride

SAUGUS – A chance encounter at a restaurant has given one local family a very special gift and new meaning to another man’s Dream Ride.”It is amazing how all this came together,” said retired firefighter Daniel McNeil.Donna and Daniel McNeil were out to dinner one night when they started chatting with a nearby couple, Everett Police Officer Larry Jedrey and his fiancee, Melissa Medeiros.”Donna saw my motorcycle gloves and asked if the (Victory Cross Country) bike outside was mine,” Jedrey said.That started a conversation that led to Jedrey telling the McNeils about a 1,900-mile ride he has coming up.Jedrey is taking part in the Dream Ride, the Florida to Connecticut leg, which leaves Palm Beach Gardens Aug. 16 and arrives in Farmington, Conn., Aug. 22.Founded in 2001, The Dream Ride aims to raise awareness and funds for people living with intellectual disabilities with Special Olympics as its beneficiary. The entire ride spans 12 states and three countries, and it has raised more than $2.4 million for Special Olympics over the years.After hearing about the ride, Donna McNeil told Jedrey about Daniel’s brother, Bobby, 56, who has Down syndrome.”Bobby was in Special Olympics for so long,” said Daniel McNeil. “He was such a ball of fire when he was young.”A few days after their encounter, Jedrey reached out to the McNeil family and asked if they would mind if he carried a picture of Bobby with him on the journey.”We thought, why not?” said Donna McNeil.The McNeils were taken aback when Jedry called back a few days later and said he’d like to dedicate the entire ride to Bobby.”We hardly knew him, but we thought it was wonderful,” Donna McNeil said. “It’s such a wonderful gesture for Bobby.”Jedrey said he liked the idea of dedicating the ride to someone in particular, so he called the McNeils, met with Bobby and has no regrets regarding his spur-of-the-moment actions.”I’m glad I did it,” Jedrey said.Bobby McNeil doesn’t get around as well as he used to, but he can still relish his glory days as well as anyone. Jedrey said he spent time with his new friend looking at pictures and medals from Bobby’s days with the Special Olympics and hearing stories of his exploits.”He spent over 10 years with the Special Olympics,” Jedrey said. “And back then it was different.”Jedrey said the way people were treated and even the terms used to label them were so vastly different. He was impressed that Bobby gave so much time to his cause.Jedrey asked the McNeils if they might bring Bobby to Connecticut for the big rally on Aug. 22, the day the bikes roll into town, but Donna McNeil said she’s not sure yet if they can make it.Medeiros will be there, however, with the pair’s children, cheering on their local hero.”I reason I can do this if I have the support from Melissa,” Jedrey said.This is Jedrey’s first year participating in the ride. He learned about it through the Enforcers Motorcycle Club, which is made up of public safety and military men and women.”Our president is a sponsor for the Dream Ride,” he said.He said they do a lot of charity rides, and he has always wanted to do a long ride, so he signed on.Jedrey is hoping to raise $3,000 for Special Olympics. He is currently hovering just over $2,000. Anyone who would like to push him closer to his goal can donate at http://dreamride.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1090861&lis=1&kntae1090861=2E9A27783AB443B5B27ED1E64DCB70B8&supId=400673385.”I haven’t known (Bobby) for a long time, but I wanted to do something that shows he is appreciated, because he is,” Jedrey said. “All those years with Special Olympics ? he should know that what he did is appreciated.”