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Veterans participating in the annual Ride for the Brave stopped at Siluria Brewing in Alabaster on July 24 before continuing the fundraising journey across the U.S. (Reporter photos/Noah Wortham)

By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – Several Veterans recently stopped at Siluria Brewing Company in Alabaster before continuing their motorcycle ride across the county in what has become an annual fundraising tradition in honor of veterans that have died by suicide.

The yearly journey, known as Ride for the Brave, is a cross-country ride led by Veteran Scott Huesing who is accompanied by many other Veterans across the country in an effort to raise funds and awareness.

“Every year, it continues to ‘Forrest Gump’ into something bigger,” Huesing said. “In every city we’ve hit this year, we’ve had more riders (and) we’ve connected more veterans. We’ve raised more money, thankfully, to support our mission.”

This year’s ride began on July 18 in Temecula, California and led the riders through Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and ended in Georgia on July 26. The group stopped at the Veteran-owned Siluria Brewing Company in Alabaster on July 24.

“The Ride for the Brave is, for all intents and purposes, our summer fundraising effort where we dedicate key events throughout the year to support our programs that run all year long,” Huesing said. “I’m out here blazing in the heat, but we got guys back in California and in other places. They’re doing offshore fishing trips, we’ve got a jujitsu program going now.”

The Ride for the Brave started back in 2019 in honor of Huesing’s friend, David White, who died by suicide.

“These numbers, of Veteran suicide, they’re personal to us,” Huesing said. “They’re our friends. They’re people we fought alongside. They’re family in some cases.”

Ride for the Brave is just one component of Save the Brave, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting veterans through outreach. The organization aids veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress and other issues.

“All these events are really physical,” Huesing said. “We want to pull guys out of their comfort zone because that’s our mission at Save the Brave. We connect Veterans. We do it in a safe space. We do it in an environment that is cool like this place at Siluria Brewing.”

Huesing expressed his gratitude to those that were present and those that accompanied him on the ride.

“It is absolutely not lost on me what you all are doing, you men and women,” he said. “I tell people, ‘Look, you’ve got to look past the leather and the tattoos and the chrome because behind all that it’s a bunch of Veterans—the guys, gals that rode with me across the country.’ And you’re here today, you’re so much more than that.”

Huesing stressed the importance of the message that Ride for the Brave sends to the community.

“Civilians and local community leaders and people in the community (can) see what their Veterans are doing now and what they did to get a chance for them to meet,” he said. “And for the Veterans to meet the communities they fought and served for and to see so many kids out is really beneficial too because they now, at a very young age, understand that the benefits of military service last long after you take off the uniform.”

Those who wish to learn more or show support may visit Savethebrave.org for more information.

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