Why Ride?
In 2013 Terri and Lou Jozefiak lost their beautiful daughter, Marie, in a tragic moment that they could never have anticipated.
Marie was just 21 years old and described by others as spunky, friendly, generous and hard working. Her ability to have fun no matter what she was doing drew people to her. But she could also be anxious, stressed and overwhelmed. Even though she was loved wholeheartedly and was surrounded by a circle of friends at college, she felt unable to cope. One Saturday in November, she took her own life.
Marie left behind her parents, a sister, a brother, many cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends who were shocked and heartbroken. The Jozefiaks still struggle with their loss, and perhaps will never completely heal. They searched for a unique way to remember Marie and move forward.
In 2016, with the help of friends, Terri and Lou organized the first charity bicycle ride fundraiser. They’ve donated proceeds from eight annual Rides to local suicide prevention and crisis intervention organizations.
Our First Ride…
Terri’s first Ride in 2016 had 70 riders. The theme was “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.” Together with many others, we built a memory board to remember our loved ones and raised a great amount of money for our cause.
Our second annual Ride in 2017 had more than 150 riders. Our theme was “Distance means nothing when someone means everything.” We significantly increased our fundraising for suicide prevention, through the amazing generosity of our riders, donors, and raffle participants.
The goal is to continue to grow this event each year. Through these efforts, we hope to save other families from the tragedy that the Jozefiaks experienced. We want to continue Marie’s legacy of bringing smiles to other people’s faces. In this way, Marie’s memory is kept alive and her last impact on the world is a positive one.
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Terri Jozefiak
Ride Founder & Marie’s Mom
Our Mission
to fund those who take an active role in local suicide prevention
to connect those suffering with available resources
to bring awareness and prevention programs to students
to honor a loved one lost to suicide
to give hope to others, and help them find their smiles
Share Your Story
We’d love to learn more about why you’re participating in the Ride 2 End Suicide. If you’d like to share, please complete the form below.