BERNARDSTON — On Sunday, Ryan Brazeau of Bernardston will bike 44 miles in Boston in “Hub on Wheels,” a fundraiser for the Boston Children’s Hospital.
For Brazeau, who rides about 100 miles a week and frequently does 70 or 80 miles in a day, the Boston ride will be “pretty easy,” he said. He’s participating primarily to raise money for the hospital.
In October 2015, Brazeau’s month-old son Lucas died at Boston Children’s Hospital due to complications from an immune disorder. Lucas would have been 3 this month.
“They went above and beyond,” Brazeau said of the hospital. For months after Lucas’ death, the hospital continued to check in with Brazeau and his wife.
In the same period, Brazeau’s father-in-law introduced him to mountain biking, which eventually led to road cycling.
“Cycling has become a big part of my life,” Brazeau said. “It’s kind of a stress reliever, health-wise and mentally.”
This will be the second year that Brazeau rides in “Hub on Wheels.” The route starts near Beacon Hill and goes through “literally every part of the city,” Brazeau said, including sections past Harvard’s campus, Brookline, Hyde Park and Dorchester.
“Hub on Wheels” is in its 14th year. This is the third year that Boston Children’s Hospital has been the beneficiary. Last year about 5,000 bikers participated, and organizers are expecting about the same number this year.
Brazeau is participating individually rather than as part of a fundraising team. He has raised close to $800 from friends and co-workers.