Cyclist brings awareness to brain injuries
Dec. 30—William Galloway is trying to draw attention.
The 60-year-old cyclist from Wildwood, New Jersey, has been pedaling cross country for four years raising awareness for people who suffer from traumatic brain injuries.
"When I was 43, I was hit by a drunk driver," Galloway said. "I've come a long ways to sit here and talk like this. Folks back in New Jersey don't know how far I've come."
During the four years, he has cycled across the United States 11 times. His first trip was to one of the Amen Clinics, a behavioral health clinic, and it was on that trip he started to gain some exposure.
"I ended up meeting a lady in Arizona, and her husband knew a guy from Channel 13 news," he said. "So when I got to Yuma, they did a story on me, and it went viral and I didn't know it. When I got to the clinic, they wanted to give me free help because of the story on how far I had come on a bicycle, and why I did it.
"I worked my way up to Bishop, California, in February 2018, and I saw a sign that said Worcester, Massachusetts, 3,000 miles. I started trucking across America and haven't stopped."
Galloway is headed to Pilot Point, Texas, and was forced to stop in Muskogee on Wednesday to fix the spokes in the rear wheel of his recumbent bike. When he Googled bike repair shops in the area, he found Ron Milligan, who was more than willing to help.
"I definitely will make it worth his while," said Milligan, the proprietor of Ron's Bike Repair in the back of the Hoopes Hardware building. "My son (whose real name is Ronald but goes by Wonk) used to work here and he has some time invested in learning wheel truing and stuff. I continue to let him do that."
Once Galloway returns to the road, safety can be a factor.
"I've been run off the road, people try to rob you," he said. "With the kindness unexpected from police officers to EMT people, people in churches to bicycle enthusiasts."
While there have been funding options to help Galloway along his way, he is very emphatic about help other support groups receive.
"I just want my story out there," Galloway said. "When a person's asking for help over a disability side of things, they're just not getting it. People that choose to do drugs or alcohol, they keep saving their lives, spending money on them, but nobody will spend money on somebody with a brain injury."
While Galloway seems on the outside to be in good shape, he says inside there are still lingering issues.
"I talk fine to you," he said. "But there's moments I'll quit talking and have to concentrate on what I'm doing. I'll want to do it faster to help my focus on it, and that's the disability side."
