Yucaipa resident Spencer Sherwin knows what unexpected crisis is like. Back in June 2020, he was a college student traveling in the Sacramento area when a major vehicle accident resulted in severe injury to his spinal nerve causing paralysis of his legs.
Over the past year, surrounded by the dedicated support of his family, he has pushed through the trauma and undergone rehabilitative treatments toward regaining ability and strength. As often happens with life’s steep challenges, the ordeal also deepened his empathy for others who endure significant calamities and ultimately encouraged his decision to accept an invitation to join a local section of a 2,400-mile fundraising bike ride this summer aimed at benefitting The Unforgettables Foundation. The Redlandsbased 501(c)3, through its chapters in Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee and Canada, helps low-income and cashstrapped families whose children have died pay for proper burials.
Sherwin has begun strength training to use an adapted bike to travel several miles through Yucaipa. He will ride along with cyclist and cardiac anesthesiologist Dr. Randy Schell, an anesthesiology professor at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Schell will eventually pass through Southern California and the Yucaipa-Redlands area after setting out on his journey Aug. 20 in Blaine, Wash. near the Canadian border. His route will parallel and crisscross the Pacific Crest Trail in a border-to-border fundraising ride down through the Inland Empire into the San Gorgonio Pass, up Mt. San Jacinto into Idyllwild and from there through the Anza-Borrego Desert to end in Tecate, Calif. near the Mexico border.
The journey, called ‘Dr. Randy’s Unforgettable Ride 2.0’ mirrors a first fundraising ride Schell undertook 20 years ago covering 4,100 northerly miles between the West and East North American coasts and which raised more than $25,000 to help launch The Unforgettables. Schell’s late summer trip this year is expected to take approximately six weeks, concluding on Oct. 2, give or take, just two days prior to his 61st birthday on Oct. 4. A reception celebrating the bike ride fundraiser will be held in Riverside on Sept. 25.
At first, Sherwin had reservations about getting involved in the ride and its subsequent publicity. “I’m not the most active guy and I absolutely hate drawing attention to myself in the vein of generating sympathy or trying to come across as ‘inspirational,’” he said. “But seeing as this was for a charity event, I felt I needed to put some of my anxieties behind me and get out there for those who need help dealing with crises that might seem familiar to me and my family.”
The bike he plans to use is designed for those who have injuries similar to his and will be equipped with an electronic assist, “to keep me from showing off too much,” he joked. Meanwhile he continues his recovery and is considering a possible return to his former school, La Sierra University to complete his bachelor’s degree. “I have been working on getting as much of my life and body back as possible. We’ve been seeing a specialist to help improve my blood flow and I’ve been feeling some decent results. My parents have been very supportive of me. As much as I can argue with them about politics, their dedication to me has never been in question. They’re the best parents out there,” said Sherwin.
Schell is a long-time friend of Sherwin’s father, Dr. Tom Sherwin, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Loma Linda University Medical Center and who also served as the first board chair of The Unforgettables Foundation. Schell and Unforgettables founder and chief executive officer Tim Evans have known each other since their days studying at Andrews University in Michigan during the early 1980s when they met through mutual friend Tom Sherwin, Schell’s academy and college roommate.
Schell, Sherwin and Evans attended Seventh-day Adventist academies in Michigan, respectively Cedar Lake and Adelphian. After Andrews, all three ended up in Southern California, Schell and Sherwin to attend medical school at Loma Linda University. Evans served as founding chaplain for the Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital prior to establishing The Unforgettables.
The Unforgettables has funded more than 7,500 cases since it began actively aiding families and parents in 2001. It is reliant on grants from private and corporate foundations such as the Versacare Foundation, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Davita Dialysis, Wescom Credit Union and the H.N. Frances C. Berger Foundation. In 2018 the California State Senate designated the nonprofit its Charity of the Year and in 2019 the San Bernardino County Medical Society recognized Evans as its Outstanding Citizen of the Year.
The Unforgettables is establishing additional chapters in Colorado, New Mexico, Florida and Maine with sites targeted in Kentucky and Michigan, “in honor of Schell and the three amigos, Evans, Sherwin and Schell,” Evans said. “The ride is to raise money for these and hopefully other locations.” Cyclists are encouraged to ride along with Schell as he passes through their communities. During the first 1,200 miles or more of Schell’s journey, Dr. David Moliterno, noted cardiologist and adventure cyclist will join him on his trek.
Schell plans to post photos and updates during his 2,400-mile ride. To follow along, visit https://unforgettables.org and https://www.facebook.com/theunforgettablesfoundation/.
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