Disabled veteran on a “Ride Across America” to raise money for Semper Fi Fund
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| Photo: Laurel Beesley |
Written by Ken Hedler
“Opportunities don’t happen, you create them,” retired U.S. Marine Sgt. Toran Gaal states on his Linkedin.com profile.
It might be happenstance that Chance is Gaal’s middle name. His first opportunity in life came as an infant when he arrived from his birthplace in Calcutta, India, to live in America with a single mom who adopted him.
Gaal, who lost both legs after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan four years ago, created an opportunity for himself to raise awareness and money for other veterans. He set off June 1 from downtown San Diego for a 65-day, 52-city, 3,800-mile trip to Arlington, Va., on a recumbent bicycle as part of his “Ride Across America” to raise $20,000 for the Semper Fi Fund. Gaal arrived in Kanab Monday, June 8, from Marble Canyon, Ariz., and planned to stay overnight in Cedar City Tuesday. He is traveling with retired Marine Sgt. Brian Riley, a single-amputee.
Gaal chose the Semper Fi Fund because it helped him after his injuries, which ended his ambition to pursue a professional basketball career, according to a news release. After recovering from his injuries, Gaal embraced adaptive sports and challenged himself to become a motivational speaker.
“I have been learning how to walk and getting proficient with the legs,” Gaal stated on his LinkedIn profile. “The only role that I have is to recover and transition, I try to help motivate my peers and others that are new to the amputee way of life. I hope by my drive that it will be contagious to others to overcome adversity.”
Speaking by phone to The Independent Monday afternoon, Gaal said his cause “allows veterans to get out of their shells and accomplish different things.”
Gaal, 28, of Escondido, Calif., said he trained for two months but also participates in marathons, including the Boston Marathon this year.
He said he averages 70 to 80 miles a day but has cycled as far as 134 miles on one day. He starts on the road at 3 a.m. and rides until 1 or 2 p.m. He takes water and snack breaks after 10 miles of cycling.
“I’m not necessarily sore, just tired,” Gaal said, referring to how he felt at the end of a day of cycling. He said he avoids interstate highways and travels instead on state highways and county roads.
Gaal said people along the route are invited to join him.
“It’s an open ride,” he said. “Anyone can ride. Nobody’s following me yet.”
Gaal said he enjoys “just meeting people, showing that there are no limitations in life.”
Vietnam veteran Terry Dunne, who served in an Army artillery unit in the Central Highlands of Vietnam in 1969 and now chairs the advisory board of the Southern Utah Veterans Home-Ivins, said he was previously unaware of Gaal’s Ride Across America but knows other veterans have pursued similar cross-country feats.
“I think it is a good thing to raise awareness for the public that doesn’t have any contact with anybody in the military,” said Dunne. “They don’t even think about the fact that somebody was blown apart.”
To follow Toran Gaal’s schedule and blog posts or to donate to his cause, visit his website at www.torangaal.com.
Ken Hedler is a freelance writer who is based in St. George. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @KeninDixie2014.
