Later this month, a group of tired but emotional bicyclists will make their way from John Street down Round Hill Road and eventually complete their ride at Roger Sherman Baldwin Park. Among them will be a group from the Greenwich Police Department, led by Rick Cochran. They will be finishing a three-day ride, the Tri-State Trek, to help raise money and awareness to fight ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
ALS is an awful disease. Every 90 minutes someone is diagnosed with it. There is no known cause, and tragically, no known cure—yet. The experts have determined that members of the military are twice as likely as the general population to contract the disease. Once ALS has been diagnosed, the expected life span is two to five years, and during that time, quality of life deteriorates dramatically. It is a cruel and unforgiving disease. More needs to be done to find its cause and a cure.
Rick Cochran and Team Greenwich Police are doing their part and more. They are riding in memory of Sgt. Roger Petrone, an 18-year member of the police department who died in 2014, leaving behind a beautiful wife and daughter. To all who knew him, Roger was a wonderful person with a sense of duty and purpose. He served as a member of the police department’s SWAT and scuba teams and was also a pilot. His police record is filled with accolades and commendations for the job he loved. Rick said, “Every weekend he would fly his plane to Maine, and every day he rode his Harley to work.” He was someone who did not like to sit still.
Riders will begin their trek in Newtown, Mass., on June 24 and finish here in Greenwich on June 26. Before completing the final nine miles, the riders will meet at the intersection of Riversville Road and John Street. It is an opportunity for all the riders to gather and then ride en masse to the park. There will be a hill climb competition for the faster riders as they wait. The fire department will be there, too, with a large American flag. It will be emotional. Exhausted riders will remember Roger being there up until the year before he died, thanking everyone. His daughter will continue the tradition and most likely ride the final miles with Rick and the others.
We applaud Rick Cochran and all the riders for their efforts to help fight ALS. It is this kind of effort brings our community together for a greater cause. Rick, who just retired from the police department after 35 years of service, is no stranger to helping our community. For 17 years he has been mentoring the Boys and Girls Club Honor Guard. He was the handler of the police K-9 Yogi and has volunteered his time in support of his fellow officers on countless occasions. Like Roger, Rick’s life is defined by service and duty. And now we have an opportunity to thank Rick by supporting his efforts to end ALS.
ALS attacks certain cells in the brain and spinal cord that are needed to keep your muscles moving. Often, as in the case of Roger, it can be misdiagnosed. Muscle cramps and difficulty swallowing are early signs. As the disease worsens those afflicted increasingly lose their ability to walk and speak. Currently there is only a single medication for treating ALS, called Rilutek, and it increases survival by only two to three months.
There is an urgent need to find an effective treatment for this devastating and fatal disease. Supporting Rick and the Tri-State Trek, honoring Roger Petrone, is a great place to place to start. Please visit http://tst.als.net/teamgreenwichpolice to see how you can help. And on June 26 come to John Street or Roger Sherman Baldwin Park and join the ride to end ALS.
