Request from a friend

A wonderful human being, the brightest spot in a white space, fellow cyclist Rose Long, whom I hold dear in my heart, has suffered a tragic accident from a hit and run driver while riding in Vermont. The descriptions of her facial injuries are beyond what my soul seems to be able to bear and share here for this young woman. As I understand it, after flipping over the car that hit her, Rose landed on her face on a permanent bicycle rack on the street. Long-term repetitive surgeries will be necessary.

My tears of sadness here are not enough to heal Rose's misfortune. In addition to hospitalization, Rose has had to take the semester off from UVM and in doing so, has not received grant money used for rent and living expenses and is presently living on donations, mostly from fellow college students and college cyclists whom we all know do not have pockets, let alone deep ones.

I can think of no kinder, more gentle person to write and ask for your help in whatever way possible; to share Rose's web site <roselong.com> with as many people as possible so we can reach out with heartfelt compassion knowing that we, as riders, parents of riders, or just parents and human beings, have often narrowly missed being subjected to the same meaningless acts of cruelty that have befallen dear Rose. I can think of no person who deserved this less.

I am asking that you take this message of love and caring from all who know Rose to your own heart and your respective team's heart and colleague's hearts and contribute, giving what you can, whether that be a post for well wishes on her website, or a contribution for the things we all take for granted, a roof over our head and food to eat. Perhaps, together, we can right an unthinkable, tragic wrong. May the ultimate reason for all of this to be a renewed opening of our own hearts with love and compassion to a friend and human being with great light who needs it most, and perhaps, greater than us, has been willing to share her light with those in need. Please, find a way to give back to Rose.

With heartfelt appreciation and loving-kindness to Rose,

Bob