PHOENIX — A charity ride meant to raise money for a friend turned tragic for Joleene Swain and her husband, Derick, leaving their lives forever changed.
“On June 2 last year, we went to do a charity ride for our friend Desi, who was rear-ended by a truck,” Swain said.
The Army veteran and avid motorcyclist said they had joined dozens of other riders to help their injured friend. But just an hour into the ride, disaster struck when two riders in the middle of the pack went down.
“By the time we saw the accident, everyone was already braking in front of us, so we started to brake and ended up fishtailing,” Swain said.
Both were ejected from their motorcycle, suffering injuries too numerous to count. Unable to work and focused on recovery, the Swains were left wondering how they would make ends meet for their family of six.
“We just had no idea where we were going to have money for rent or food,” Swain said.
That’s when help rolled in.
Roy Katner, Chris “Skippy” Noll, and Heath Derosier run Down N Durdy, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting families affected by motorcycle accidents.
“When you have kids and you’re worried about where your home is going to be, that’s devastating,” Heath Derosier said.
Over the past seven years, the organization has raised and donated more than $100,000 to families in need, helping them cover expenses like rent, utilities, and groceries.
“If you go down and you can’t work for several months, and you have a family to care for, that’s what we’re here for,” co-founder Roy Katner said. “We’re all in this together, so we have to help each other out somehow.”
Swain said "Down N Durdy" stepped in to help provide Christmas presents, connect them to additional resources, and offer emotional support during one of their darkest hours.
“Even if you just need someone to talk to, we’re here, call us, we have members on our board who’ve been through this situation," said Katner.
“Just knowing that there are organizations like this that help pick up the pieces—it means a lot,” Swain said.
Now, Swain is calling on the community to join Down N Durdy’s fundraising ride on Saturday, February 22 at Desert Wind Harley Davidson and donate to keep their mission alive.
With every mile, Down N Durdy ensures that kindness keeps rolling, full throttle.
