Mr. Lee,
I have e-mailed you a dozen times in my head and then the day gets away from me and it never gets done. Well today, I thought, what a better day than Father's Day. My name is Kathy Velasco, maiden name Kraft. I was your neighbor in Fox Point. I have been with you on your ride since March, however, in spirit only. My journey with you began the day I received an e-mail from my sister Joni. She had run into Mrs. Lee and e-mailed us all to update us on what she had told my sister about the new owners of our childhood home. She then mentioned your ride and gave us the website. I was immediately on board and have told your story to anyone who will listen! I live in Texas, so there are A LOT of people to tell your story to. I just wanted to tell you how inspired I am by you and how incredible what your doing is. You are giving such a gift to so many, but when I read your stories, you convey that you are the one that is receiving the gifts on this wonderful journey. What an awesome experience you are living, and I mean living in every sense of the word! You have given hope and inspiration to more people than you will ever know. You are truly a very special human being.

I wanted to share one more thing with you. I always thought that I would show up at your door one day while in town and thank you and Mrs. Lee, but since my Dad moved, I have not been back to Barrington. Almost 4 years ago, you and Mrs. Lee did something for us that we still talk about and will never forget. While I was back visiting for a family vacation, my mother had a massive heart attack. She was considered brain dead and after 4 days they took her off of life support and we lost our best friend. Since we had known for a few days, some family had already arrived in town. Within hours of me and my sisters returning home from Good Shepherd Hospital after my mom passed, Mrs. Lee was on one of her neighborhood walks that I so fondly remember. She stopped with that wonderful smile of hers and asked if we were having a family reunion. When we explained to her that our mom had died, she was very comforting to us. She offered your home to any overflow of guests we may have, and anything else that we could possibly want or need. That alone was very generous and special to us. Then within a few hours, at our doorstep arrived the most beautiful sunflower and the most special and comforting poem....."and that is dying". The sunflower offered us so much hope and light on the most difficult day of our lives and the poem became something the we all cherish. My Dad and I framed a copy of the poem, in beautiful flower lined frames for each daugter (there are 6 of us) and we all have it displayed proudly in our kitchens (where we all spend the majority of our days). I bet I have read that poem at least 1000 times. I know my sisters have also. It has offered us all comfort over and over and the sentiment is absolutely beautiful and always makes me smile. If makes me feel at such peace with where my Mom is now.

I just thought you should know how you and Mrs. Lee touched our lives and have made them so much richer.

I will continue to follow your journey and get lost in your adventures like a great book! Be safe and God Bless You! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Happy Father's Day!

Kathy Velasco (Kraft)

Dear Mrs. Velasco,
Your email was so touching that it brought a tear to my eye. I was fortunate enough to meet Bob for less than 5 minutes while I stopped at a corner walgreens to get some gatorade for my bike ride. What a great man and a great cause! He even gave me a coupon for a FREE gatorade!
I was hoping you could tell me the name of "the poem" (or forward me the text). It sounds very special.
Thank you
Aras Tijunelis
atijunelis@comcast.net

Kathy,
I was fortunate to meet Bob, when he stopped in PdC, WI. He has such a special way about him and you feel like you have known him forever. What an impact they have had on your family...Could you please send me the poem, also? I, too had tears reading your entry. What a nice tribute to your Mom and so thoughtful of the Lee family.
Take care, Wendy Vanderbilt