We are only a few months away from the 2026 Ride for Mental Health, and we’re working hard to make this another great event—maybe the best yet. This will be the 10th anniversary of the Ride.
It has become a cherished tradition for my family and a growing community of cyclists who value the opportunity to talk about and support mental health. The past decade of building this event has passed quickly. Yet, it still seems like yesterday that we lost our son Eric.
I cannot believe it has been 10 years since Eric died from an accidental overdose while receiving outpatient care at McLean.
He would be 31 now, and I often wonder what he would be doing at this point in his life. Would his passions around cooking and food, technology, and fashion still be a focus for him? Would he be sharing his life with a partner? What sort of a job would he have?
I think of him and miss him every day.
Mac Dorris gets ready for the Ride in New Paltz, New York
I frequently picture Eric in my imagination at different stages of his life. When I’m in Brooklyn, I see him through other boys in the neighborhood—a 3-year-old in a stroller, or a cool, sophisticated, handsome, dark-blonde-headed teen hanging out with friends. He is always with me in some way as a smart, funny, and generous young man who also struggled with mental illness.
The Ride gives me a wonderful opportunity to tell others about Eric, and this 10th anniversary will be a special one. Former Olympians Nelson Vails and Wayne Stetina will join us again this summer. We will have another fabulous dinner for riders and volunteers on Saturday evening.
The ride routes will stay the same, as they are some of the best cycling roads in the country. But we’re planning some special surprises for this year. Stay tuned.
Thanks to our amazing friends and family, we have been able to build an incredible group of people who now come from far and wide to make the Ride such a great success. Many who participate have their own stories about mental illness and are riding in support of their friends, family members, or colleagues.
This community of cyclists and volunteers bolsters us and has become the best way we know to both honor Eric and tell others about the wonderful young man he was.
I’ll be thinking of Eric while I ride this June 27 and 28. I hope you’ll find a reason to join me in New Paltz as a cyclist or a volunteer, or make a donation to help us reach the $2 million mark in support of McLean Hospital.
Go to The Ride website for more information and follow us on social media.
