I became aware of The Rolling Barrage in 2019 when Warren and I became a couple. He told me about this ride that he had been a part of and it was bringing awareness and breaking the stigma of PTSD amongst first responders, veterans and serving members. I thought what an awesome idea as so many suffer from mental illness and don’t talk about it.
I had never been on a motorcycle until 2019 and in 2021 I met Warren in Winnipeg to complete the rest of the ride with him as he was completing the Full Pull. In my mind I was there to support Warren as I knew how important it was to him.
It was a very humbling experience meeting everyone. You could see the sense of camaraderie, trust and family amongst everyone. Everyone was so friendly and once I started to talk to people, I realized we have a lot in common. It may not be the same thing, but there was an understanding.
Myself I have 30 years of military service and just retired 2yrs ago. I joined the ride again in 2022, Winnipeg, to Vancouver. During this ride, I started to realize how it was helping me. I am a very quiet person and don’t like to talk about things.
Being in the medical field, I was involved in different situations throughout my career. My focus had been on work, helping my patients, helping everyone, and doing everything for everyone else. I started to see myself to be a little more open, talking to more people, and felt I was not judged.
So, in 2023, I committed to doing the FULL Pull. TRB was going to NL which was home, and we would do it together. As we rode across the country, I found the bond between the Full Pull crew was next level. The trust and sense of family that you form was second to none. A hug was a must in the morning and or throughout the day if needed.
In 2023, I felt I needed to do and contribute more to TRB as I had witnessed how it had helped so many people, including myself. There was talk of Jim managing the merchandise. I said to Warren he cannot do that as he has too many hats already.
So, Warren and I decided that we would take on the merchandise for TRB. During the ride, the selling of merchandise was very busy but rewarding in hearing the stories from the riders and general public about the reasons they wanted to support TRB. It made my heart smile.
I am forever grateful to Warren and my new TRB family for the support they have provided me. If you are thinking about participating in the ride but are not sure if it’s a good fit, just come out and see, even if it’s for a couple of days. If you don’t ride, you can come as a passenger like me or drive your vehicle.
Starlight
Theresa Traverse
Full Pull Alumni / Service and Support / Merchandise Manager , The Rolling Barrage PTSD Foundation