Senior Fulfills Lifelong Dream of Riding on a Harley
Charity organization helps 93-year-old prove that you’re never too old to enjoy the wonderful world of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
Proving that you’re never too old to hop on a motorcycle for a ride, Mildred Garrison, a 93-year-old woman from North Carolina, fulfilled a lifelong dream of going for a short blast on a Harley-Davidson, reports ABC News. The senior citizen went on a 20-minute ride with a 57-year-old Harley-Davidson enthusiast, Richard Jarrett, earlier this month.
“It was wonderful,” Garrison tells ABC News. “The motorcycle was beautiful. It was cherry-apple red.” The ride was made possible by a partnership between Brookdale Senior Living, which is where Garrison resides, and Wish of a Lifetime, a nonprofit organization that grants senior citizens’ wishes.
“I still haven’t gotten over the excitement yet,” says Garrison. “I could have gone some more. I’ve always wanted to ride a motorcycle, especially a Harley-Davidson. They’re always beautiful and clean. That was a wonderful thing. A lot of people took time out to come and celebrate.” The pictures from the local news coverage reveal just how much Garrison enjoyed the ride.
She rode on the back of a bike owned by Jarrett, who says he has been a bike enthusiast since he was 10 years old. He was pumped to Garrison her first ride on a Harley and praised Wish of a Lifetime for being able to make dreams come true.
‘I still haven’t gotten over the excitement yet. I’ve always wanted to ride a motorcycle, especially a Harley-Davidson. They’re always beautiful and clean. That was a wonderful thing.’
“The most exciting part was listening to her say how much she enjoyed it, with her arms out in the wind and listening to the sound of the bikes behind her,” says Jarrett. “She gave me a hug and then a little later gave me another hug, and that’s what it’s all about.”
ABC News reports that initial plans suggested that Garrison ride alongside Jarrett in his sidecar or on a tricycle, but she didn’t want to go along with either of those plans. “They offered that or the trike with three wheels, but I didn’t want to go in that either,” Garrison said. “They look funny. They don’t look like a motorcycle to me.”
Now that Garrison has fulfilled her dream of riding a Harley-Davidson, her next goal is to cruise the Blue Ridge Parkway on a motorcycle. And you can bet it’ll be on the back of another Harley-Davidson.
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