
THEY RIDE ALONG
- By: Freddie Fourie
- Short URL: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/freddie-fourie-5762043780634046292
- Date Created: 19 November 2023
Personal message
They Ride Along
“Losing a child is such an unnatural and extremely emotional thing, that most parents find it difficult to continue living, BUT we were so proud of these kids, and we will do everything we can to make them as proud of us as we were of them as we ride - they ride along with us, and we ride together in support of each other” Freddie Fourie
“We now belong to a club that we did not apply for, we could not negotiate the terms of the contract and there is no exit clause” Jannie Du Plessis
*THEY RIDE ALONG* foundation is a “Double Initiative” non-profit organisation with the following at its core.
~Firstly, it is an initiative to get parents, family, brothers, sisters, and friends who lost loved ones and especially children to ride together/along and in doing so carry and support each other to continue living and to honour the lives of those that passed and make them as proud of us as we are of them.
~Secondly it is an initiative with a purpose bigger than us and the “They Ride Along” team will do various rides and events to raise funds for the They Ride Along foundation. All funds raised will be utilized to help and assist under privileged children, mainly in sport development and medical care.
“*They Ride Along*” started with two friends, fathers who lost their children in tragic accidents Jannie Du Plessis and Freddie Fourie. Jannie and the du Plessis family lost their 10-month-old son Jan-Nataniel in a tragic accident at their home on Jannie’s birthday in November 2021. Freddie and the Fourie family lost their 19-year-old daughter Cailin in a motor vehicle accident on their way back from a family holiday 3 days after her 19th birthday in December 2022 as well as 20-year-old Armandt le Roux , who was like a son in the Fourie family also lost his life in that accident.
These two fathers, Freddie Fourie and Jannie Du Plessis, decided to enter and train for the world's toughest Mountain Bike Race (The Munga) in an effort to not only make their kids as proud of them as they are of their kids, but also to support each other in doing so as they have supported each other and other parents whom have had the same sad experiences of losing their children, but it quickly grew into something much bigger.
Losing a child is most probably any parents worst nightmare even the thought of losing a child is sometimes too much to bear, then when it does happen, it is most likely the most painful, difficult, and hurtful thing and parent or family will ever have to face and deal with. It is unnatural and changes everything, there just are no words to explain what a parent feels and to try and describe it would be like trying to explain what an avocado pear tastes like.
To continue to live life and to find your feet again seems almost impossible at first, but then there are those who have been through the same and who knows without words and others that just truly cares and that is how we support each other.
On this ride called life, you must take the good with the bad, smile with the sad, love what you have, and remember what you had. Always forgive, but never forget, People change, Things go wrong, and they have passed on … but remember,
THEY RIDE ALONG. Let’s make them proud by continuing to live and by making a positive difference in the lives of others.
Donations
- Dec 02, 2023 - R 300.00 Fees covered
- "" - Anonymous
- Nov 27, 2023 - R 500.00 Fees covered
- "" - Anonymous
- Nov 25, 2023 - R 1 000.00 Fees covered
- "God’s way is not always our way. Gert all the best for the Munga - may you be blessed during this journey." - Anonymous
- Nov 25, 2023 - R 500.00 Fees covered
- "Love to everybody who rides for this cause. May you receive God’s Grace on this journey and may the pain of the ride give you some relieve from your heartache. May you honor your children through this epic event." - Louis Marais
- Nov 24, 2023 - R 50.00 Fees covered
- "Niemand moet dit beleef! Sterkte julle" - Spaskaas
- Nov 19, 2023 - USD $ 29.45 Fees covered
- "Ek glo julle manne gaan gat skop! “Pappa” glo in julle! Lekker ry Freddie, Jannie, Jacques J, Marnus, Pieter, Gert en enige iemand wat ek gemis het!!!" - Jack Black