WWVC presents veteran with custom bicycle

Sgt. Eric Kepler admits he doesn’t cry much.

However, the National Guard veteran fought back tears as he accepted a new upright bicycle at the Mayor’s Welcome Dinner for the Boll Weevil 100 May 8.

Kepler couldn’t help but become emotional while discussing the generosity of those involved with the new bike.

“Man, it is like a thousand Christmases’,” Kepler said. “This is so overwhelming, and it is a true blessing. I can’t thank everyone enough.”

Kepler’s new ride, donated by Edward Jones Financial of Enterprise, is a modified Trek 8.4 DualSport customized by the Fort Rucker-based Montgomery Multisport. The showroom model of the bike retails for $879, but with all the additions made by the mechanics at Montgomery Multisport the bike’s price would have climbed well over $1,000.

Julian Alvarado, manager of Montgomery Multisport, said the list of modifications was large.

“With the help of my main mechanic, we stripped it down to the frame and then sanded and painted it. Eric wanted a little bit of color, so we added the green. We installed the latest and greatest lighting equipment for him. We made a lot of modifications to the bike in order to accommodate his needs. We made it a little more upright for him, and he will do great.”

Kepler was presented a Quickie Shark Handcycle at last year’s event and over the course of the past 12 months has progressed, thanks to Taekwondo and YRG Yoga, enough to ride a traditional two-wheeled bike again.

But the decision to hop on a bicycle again wasn’t a long, thought out process. In fact, Kepler made the call to get back on a bike after coming to the rescue of his daughter’s friend.

“I went out to see about my daughter and her friend after an accident they had,” Kepler said. “Coming back down the hill, I thought to myself, ‘I wonder if I can do this?’ The worst thing that could happen was if I fell over, so I jumped on it and rode it. I have been riding ever since.”

Cycling has done wonders for Kepler’s health, but he feels the biggest improvement for him has been mental.

Gone are the days when he would sit on the couch and think about what happened to him. He now enjoys the great outdoors from the seat of a bicycle or from the bank of a lake, river or pond, whenever he wants.

He is thankful every day for his newfound love.

“It has given me freedom and it always gives me time for myself,” Kepler said.” Not only does it help me with my health, but it also puts me in a better place. Being on a bike helps me relax and lets me think. If I am being bothered by something, I can hop on a bike and not have it affect me for a while.”

Kepler also said he would not have been able to make it down the road to recovery without the support of his wife, Stephanie.

I am blessed with the Good Lord on my side. He gave me a great wife who wouldn’t let me sit around and do nothing. I always think back to what Jim Valvano (former national champion basketball coach) said, ‘Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.’ If he could do it, then why can’t I? You have to get past the sob-and-pity stage, or you won’t ever get things done. I didn’t want to be one of the guys you read about in the paper that didn’t get through it.”

In total, the Wiregrass Wounded Veterans Committee has donated 30 cycles in the last several years. The total price comes out to more than $200,000.