Have you ever had an experience that you never forget? Sometimes our lives can get so busy with just living life when something out of the blue makes you stop in your tracks for just a moment. Sometimes that moment just lingers for just a little longer for no apparent reason. Well, I had just that moment.

Recently, I volunteered at a bike event for Multiple Sclerosis. It was wonderful. So many people passed by my volunteer spot with questions, greetings, and sometimes a yawn because it was 6:00 am in the morning. But then it happened with one of the riders needing my assistance. The medic tent at the time was unattended because there was so much going on that morning with volunteers trying to assist as many of the riders as possible. He needed something to relieve a mild headache in order to continue riding. He approached me to ask if I knew of any other area that could provide him with some Advil. Now, as any person with MS knows you never leave home without your pill pack or at least I don’t. You know that zip-lock baggie we use to keep anything and everything for every possible scenario; from Lyrica for pain to Xanex for the unexpected anxiety attack to Provigal for the sudden onset of fatigue. Trust me, I got it all. This time it was in my car on the other side of the parking lot which was a mighty haul. He was deeply appreciative that I offered to make the journey, but declined my offer suggesting that he could finish the ride.

So, off he went to ride for the next several hours with a headache leaving me to wonder if I might hear that he was airlifted to the nearest hospital because I left my pill pack. Since I didn’t get his name, I had no way of knowing if he finished the ride. I even scanned the morning paper the next day just to confirm that there were no serious injuries with any of the riders. No such story so I assumed he must be safe.

Later in the week, I get an email from the MS office regarding a rider who was looking for a woman that volunteered during Sunday’s event. The MS worker sending the email knew it was me. She was so excited that someone else had experienced the same chance encounter. Although nothing spectacular happened during my conversation with him, he expressed that he left feeling inspired enough to want to become a CHAMPS rider for MS.

My simple offer inspired him to continue to ride that day even without me getting my pill pack, which by the way included Advil. I can never thank him enough for his support. It’s these little chance encounters that makes MS worth fighting.