My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style. ~ Maya Angelou
Celebrating the one hundredth consecutive bike ride on April 10, 2011
It is hard to believe that it has been four years since I completed my first 100Day Challenge. On Sunday, April 10, 2011, I completed a 24 mile bike ride. It was my one hundredth consecutive day riding my bike for at least one hour. My son joined me on the last four miles of the ride. It was a significant accomplishment.
The final statistics over those one hundred days: 2,360 miles and 141 hours riding.
Reflecting on the journey now known as 100Pedals, I have come a long way in four years. Though the sting and the pain of addiction is part of my world, I am at peace with my journey. While my son still has not embraced the recovery a parent so passionately desires for their addicted child, his addiction does not have control over my life. Regardless of the choices he makes in his life, I have come through this adversity a changed man – a better dad, a better husband, a better person, and a born again believer.
I never thought I would be that dad – the one whose son would be battling a drug addiction, nonetheless a heroin addiction. I would never have predicted that I would make a full-time commitment to such an important cause as addiction in our society. And, I never would have believed it possible to reflect back on all the trials and tribulations of this very dark, painful journey and call it one of life’s greatest gifts.
It’s been four years since I “crossed the finish line” of the one hundred day challenge. My addiction journey is nearly six years old. I am young in this battle. I have only just begun the fight to bring about the changes we need to get this addiction crisis in our communities under control. The four fronts of my mission are better treatment, affordable access to treatment, better laws, and better conversations about addiction.
I am here to assist those who struggle with the “broken path” in their life’s journey. I am here to stand tall with anyone who desires to bring changes to the issue of addiction in our communities. Let me know where you need me and I will be there! Peace!
Are you trying to cope with your child’s addiction? Are you weary of riding the frustrating rollercoaster of this addiction? Dave Cooke has the solution to your dilemma, and he’s happy to share it with you. In fact, it’s become his mission in life.
Dave Cooke is the father of a son addicted to heroin. Like you, he suddenly found himself thrust into a state of confusion, heartache, and despair. And like all parents of addicts, he scrambled to find solid ground when addiction turned his world upside down.
In the process, he created a way to help parents find peace in the midst of chaos. An internationally recognized speaker, Dave’s presentations inspire with energy, commitment, and real solutions for troubled parents. “Thought-provoking” and “powerful” are just two of the descriptions his audiences often apply to his talks.
