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The Story Behind the Ride

About the topless ride to end alzheimer's

        Over 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.

 
Alzheimer’s destroys the lives of those diagnosed and the loved ones around them. We must End ALZ!
2022 was the first Topless ride to End Alzheimer’s. We plan to hold this ride annually. This event is to raise money for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and the Alzheimer’s Association. Papa’s Peeps team captain, Rachael, lost her father to Alzheimer’s. Alzenda & Friends team captain, Theresa, lost her grandfather. We ladies mean business when it comes to finding a cure to this disease.
We both enjoy riding on the back our guy’s motorcycles or in a convertible or Jeep. We love that feeling of sun on our face and wind in our hair. The open air feeling of FREEDOM. Freedom is something a person with Alzheimer’s gradually loses over time.
We invite you to join us as we take a ride through the back roads of Coastal Virginia topless, not confined by a roof over our heads as we raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and funds to find a cure.
 

My Story

In Memory of My Dad, Martin “Marty” Freedman
 
OnDecember 31, 2020, my dad lost his battle with Alzheimer’s disease. WhileAlzheimer’s took away so much from him, it can never take away the incrediblelegacy he left behind.
 
My dadattended Old Dominion University before graduating from the Medical College ofVirginia School of Pharmacy, where he served as Treasurer of the Phi Delta ChiProfessional Fraternity. While attending MCV, he met the love of his life,Judy, on a blind date. They married on Christmas Eve in 1967 and shared anextraordinary 53 years together, inseparable through every season of life.
 
Daddedicated his life to serving others. He proudly owned and operated GhentPharmacy, where he wasn’t just a pharmacist—he was a trusted friend, advisor,and source of comfort to countless customers. He also served for many years onthe Medical Advisory Board of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Hampton Roadsand was recognized as an expert pharmacy witness.
 
Even afterretirement, his passion for helping others never faded. He became thePharmacist-in-Charge of the Virginia Beach Free Health Clinic, taught PharmacyTechnician classes at Tidewater Community College, and joined my mom on annualmedical mission trips to the Dominican Republic, providing care to those inneed.
To me,though, he was simply the best dad anyone could ask for.
He workedtirelessly, led by example, and instilled in my brothers and me the values ofhard work, integrity, compassion, and service. He was the person I turned towhenever life felt overwhelming, and I miss him every single day. I miss hiswisdom, his guidance, and his ability to somehow make every problem seemsolvable. He would come home from a long day at the Pharmacy and would stilltake the time to spend time with my brothers and I.
If thereis one thing I can do to honor his memory, it is to help fight this devastatingdisease. Alzheimer’s doesn’t just affect the person diagnosed—it impacts entirefamilies. It stole precious memories from my dad and precious time from all ofus who loved him.
NowAlzheimer’s is part of my family’s medical history. This fight is no longerjust about my dad—it is about my future, my children, and every family who mayone day face this disease.
That iswhy I am asking for your support.
Pleaseconsider making a donation to support Papa’s Peeps through our ToplessRide to End Alzheimer’s fundraiser. Every donation, no matter the amount,brings us one step closer to better treatments, better care, and ultimately acure.
If you’dlike to do even more, I would love for you to join the walk with our ToplessRide team. Together, we can honor those we’ve lost, support those currentlyfighting Alzheimer’s, and help create a future where no family has toexperience the heartbreak this disease causes.Thank youfor taking the time to read my story, for remembering my dad, and forsupporting this cause that means so much to my family. Your generosity andencouragement truly make a difference.