RIVERTON, Utah — Bikers gathered in Riverton Saturday for a special motorcycle ride in the name of veteran suicide awareness.
Several Utah businesses, with the support of “Operation Hero,” are using this Memorial Day weekend to share a customized motorcycle.
The motorcycle shows the names of 22 Utah veterans who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other common mental illnesses after serving, and ultimately ended up dying by suicide.
“As I was painting this, it really became a special moment. You got to know and feel each one of these people personally — feel their story, feel their energy," said John Ward with Rawtin Garage, who painted the bike. "It was quite the amazing experience."
Another Utah business involved in the ride was Your Tribe Clothing — a company that aims to normalize the conversation around mental illness, and ideally, slow suicide rates.
Organizers say more than 100 people showed up to join on their ride.
