Seventeen years ago, Tony Torres was in Mexico when he was diagnosed as HIV-positive. At the time, doctors gave him two years to live.
Now living in Chicago, Torres is healthy and happy, although a bit sore and extremely emotional. Torres completed the annual Ride For AIDS Chicago (RFAC), a two-day 200-mile bicycle ride held July 14-15, for the third time.
He also walked a bicycle into the closing ceremonies, held in Evanston, in honor of those unable to ride this year due to HIV/AIDS. In a weekend event filled with emotions, this near-five-minute moment might have been the most emotional.
"The Ride was amazing this year; it keeps getting better and better every year," Torres said. "All I was thinking about [during the closing ceremony] was all of my friends who are gone, people who passed away from HIV/AIDS."
Torres also was emotional during the ride at multiple points, such as the time a fellow rider asked him if the orange flag that waved from his bike, to signify that he is HIV-positive, slowed him down. Torres replied, "No … if HIV has not slowed me down, neither will this flag."
Richard Cordova, the director of athletic events for the Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN), which produces the Ride, said his most memorable momentand certainly most emotionalwas the rider-less bike procession. "I didn't think I'd be as emotional as I was. It kind of caught me off guard. It was very emotional," he said.
The 2012 Ride featured about 240 riders and about 50 supporting crew members, and it raised just more than $600,000surpassing last year's former record, $535,000.
"It was amazing, plus, there's still so much room to grow this event; I don't think we've hit our stride yet, nor our peak," Cordova said. "We keep adding more value to the event. We've created more infrastructure; we're investing in the sustainability of the event and its long-term growth.
"This year's Ride truly was a great one."
More than 25 openly HIV-positive people participated, as riders or crew, many wearing orange bandanas to signify their HIV status.
"The ride is all about erasing the shame and stigma that so many people with this disease live with, and this year's event was an absolute success," Cordova said. "The cause, the camaraderie, the challenge … everything came together."
Jorge Partida, fighting back tears moments after the rider-less bike procession, said the event was "amazing." This was his third RFAC, "and it probably the best Ride to date [because of] the activities [organizers planned] for the riders, and all of the riders were amazing, all in good spirit. It definitely was the most emotional, seeing all of these people coming together for a cause."
Austin Baidas of Chicago also completed his third Ride.
"It was a great event, very well organized and it raised a ton of money. It was just a fantastic Ride," he said. "Everyone was so friendly, working so well together to complete it. It was just a lot of fun."
Baidas said the event gets better every year.
"I think it's good to have reminders because, often, we go about our daily lives and we forget about the affect HIV/AIDS has on people. The fundraising and the Ride itself brings a lot of awareness; that's a good thing," Baidas said.
Robert Garofalo completed his first Ride and was the event's second largest fundraiser (about $25,000).
"It was the most incredible experience. It was touching, emotional, exhausting. … There was just so much love," Garofalo said. "One of my most memorable moments came while riding up a hill on day one. I was sucking wind when this woman on a motorcycle pulled up [next to me] and yelled, 'Nice ass … now get your ass up the hill.'
"It was the perfect timing [for that comment], the perfect motivation."
Garofalo was one of 16 riders on Team CUR.
"Raising needed funds for this cause and having fun … this was one of the most inspirational events I've ever had the privilege to be a part of," he said. "The camaraderie, of everyone not just my teammates, was unbelievable."
Aaron DeWinter Williams has been a rider for two years, but opted to be part of the crew this yearand sported an orange bandana throughout the event, reflecting on the time about 10 years ago that he learned he was HIV-positive.
"I felt empowered to support the riders because, as a veteran rider, I knew what they needed, based on what I needed when I rode in the event. I wanted to be a part of the event to make it even better than when I did the Ride," Williams said. "I had a great time helping to support all of the riders. This is an incredibly hard thing to do, an incredibly long journey. There's so much that goes into this that people don't realize.
"For me, it was awesome, an honor. For me, it means that hopefully we will continue to treat people with dignity and respect, to help reduce the stigma of living with HIV/AIDS, further education and treatment for those who are living with the disease, and hopefully one day we'll eradicate it."
Williams said he was shocked 10 years ago to learn his HIV status, and quickly spiraled downhillfinancially and emotionally. He was on the edge, he said.
"I chose to pick myself up [after learning of my HIV status], supported by so many others; that's why I want to be a part of this event, which has made a huge difference in my life," Williams said. "I'm very proud to participate in this event for others, and had an amazing time as a member of the Crew."