If you or a loved one are experiencing mental distress, please call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Manny Rivas wondered how his life would change after an accident that left him paralyzed back in July 2023.
“I was paralyzed in bed. Pretty much bedridden and couldn’t move or go anywhere, and my first sergeant reached out to me and said Peter is part of Forgotten Not Gone and they do cycling,” Rivas explained.
Peter Guidry started Forgotten Not Gone with his wife, Kelly. It’s a local nonprofit with a goal to “stomp out suicide.”
“The idea for Forgotten Not Gone started in pain. I went to the war-related illness center where the VA sent me over there and one of the resources was recommitted trike that they prescribed,” Guidry said. “When I came back to Vegas, they didn’t give me the prescription, so I ended buying the first 2 bikes myself and an unbelievable reality came true.”
Kelly said what started out as two bikes has grown to over a hundred trikes, bringing together veterans and helping them take back their lives.
“We have people come up to us and say my son or my daughter is not a veteran but they took their life and just to give them a hug or hear them out, you know you’re doing the right thing just by giving back because A lot of people don’t talk about suicide,” Kelly Guidry said.
Trikes like these are sports-adaptable equipment, making it easy for anyone to ride, including those with disabilities.
The Guidrys are still in need of funding and more volunteers to continue their mission after grant money ran out, making it hard to retain a permanent space.
“We have about a hundred different bicycles scattered across Clark County, housing our fleet of recumbent trikes, so we’re looking to the community to help us find a warehouse where we can keep everything in one location,” Guidry added.
They hope the community will help so they can continue their mission and keep riding, especially during events like the Fourth of July, when many of their veterans meet.
“It’s important for our veterans to be proactive, seeing those fireworks, our veterans will be triggered because of loud explosions and things like that but what we’ve learned over the years by us getting together, the veteran trike brigade with our fellow trike commandos, we get out in the community while those fireworks are going on and ride our bikes and have a good time,” Guidry explained.
For many people like Rivas, riding with his fellow veterans has given him hope and has shown him endless possibilities.
“Once you start seeing progress, it motivates you even more, and that’s where I’m at now, ” Rivas said.
The Forgotten Not Gone Nonprofit is working on fundraising efforts, including hosting bike group tours so you can get a chance to ride on one of the trikes, along with wedding chariot rides as well. If you would like to help or would like to volunteer, visit the nonprofit’s website.
