Harleys Roar in Parade for Longtime Rider

Motorcycle Ride with Son Rekindles Lifelong Love for the Open Road

Bernice Davis hadn’t been on a motorcycle in years but with the help of Crossroads in Northeast Ohio, her son and the Inn at University Village, the assisted living facility where she resides, that changed. 

At 98, the lifelong rider was honored with a surprise motorcycle tribute. The sound of engines brought her straight back to the open road and her happy years as a member of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association.

While she was thrilled with the unexpected outing and tribute, Bernice mentioned how much she missed her late husband, her riding partner of decades. The two even honeymooned during a month-long motorcycle road trip.

As part of Crossroads’ Gift of a Day program motorcycles rolled by the Inn at University Village to celebrate Bernice and her decades of riding. Then, with the help of her son Dale, Bernice climbed back on a Harley and joined the ride! “It’s peaceful,” she said. “When I get on it, everything’s quiet. I just wish my husband was here.” 

Bernice has dementia but her long-ago memories of motorcycle riding remain vivid. Her caregivers at the Inn at University Village say she lights up when talking about motorcycling.

Surrounded by the roar of engines and a community that aligns with her spirit, Bernice proves why bonds with the road are everlasting.

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