TYLER, Texas — For over 20 years, Barbara Kelly lived life to the fullest as a motorcyclist and owned six different bikes during that time.
Earlier this year Kelly suffered a fall which resulted in taking a step back from her favorite activities, which included riding. After recovering from physical therapy the staff at The Hamptons of Tyler, where she's a resident there, arranged a special visit from the LongRiders of Tyler.
“We surprised her while she was playing bingo," said Robyn Hood, the Hamptons’ Independent Living Activity Director. "She didn’t know what was going on, but all of her fellow bingo players knew about the surprise so they kept her occupied.”
Established in 1986, the LongRiders of Tyler is a motorcycle riding club that focuses on helping their community in hopes to give motorcyclists a better reputation.
As a way to help bring her spirit back up, the LongRiders took Kelly out on Sept. 20 to enjoy a ride on a motorcycle without using her wheelchair for the day.
“Barbara had a blast riding behind them and getting to meet everyone. She had a huge smile on her face!” Hood said. “We appreciate these wonderful riders for making the trip out to surprise her and making this day so special for her.”
The Hamptons of Tyler hope to create more meaningful moments like this one in the near future.
