PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
There's no treatment and no cure, but a local man battling a rare, neuro-muscular disease called Friedreich's Ataxia hopes to change that.
Sam Bridgman, 22, was one of more than 150 people who participated in Ride Ataxia Portland on Saturday. Bridgman graduated from college in the spring and recently started a new job at Nike.
Bridgman's hope is that by raising awareness about Friedreich's Ataxia, it'll save lives and eventually lead to a cure.
During Saturday's ride around Sauvie Island, Bridgman was all smiles.
It hasn't always been that way. Especially when he was diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia at the age of 15, he said.
"When you get diagnosed with something like F.A., you No. 1 ... feel like you're all alone," Bridgman said. "And No. 2 ... you really don't want to realize what's going to happen with your body."
Bridgman's mindset changed when he met Kyle Bryant during a ride from Sacramento to Las Vegas in 2008, he said. Bridgman saw how Bryant refused to let the disease, which affects all muscle coordination from his toes to his fingertips, control him. He realized he had an opportunity to make a difference.
"He's just turned into an incredibly strong advocate for F.A. research and a role model for a lot of people," Bryant said, holding back tears.
"Kyle means the world to me," Bridgman said.
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Dozens ride to raise awareness about rare neuro-muscular disease