Jay Alter, of Darien, knew he was in for a surprise Wednesday after strict instructions from wife Lizzy’s mom.
“I was like, ‘You have to be home!’ And so, he was like, ‘I cleared my schedule.’ And he's been trying to figure it out ever since,” laughed Jay’s mother-in-law, Cissy Wade.
Jay’s initial guess?
“I thought Lizzy was getting a dog,” he told News 12.
It wasn’t a pet, but a parade of motorcycles that pulled up in front of the Alters’ home that day—16 to be exact. The family got a visit from the Miracle Riders out of Columbus, Georgia - Lizzy’s hometown. The group combines their love of motorcycle riding and making a difference in the lives of children. Every year, they go on a multiweek cross-country charity ride for organizations and institutions that help sick kids.
The ride began 16 years ago, and to date, the Miracle Riders have raised just over $3 million, according to founder Scott Ressmeyer. This year’s beneficiary is the pediatric nursing program at Columbus State University.
“We've ridden across the lower 48 states seven times. We've gone to the Arctic Circle and back. We've done the four corners of the U.S.,” Scott said.
But this time, the group settled on something different.
“This trip we wanted to have people in our community be able to reach out and touch family members or loved ones all across the country. So, we came up with this idea of doing the Pony Express Ride. You know, back in the day in the 1860s, people would ride horses across to deliver mail to the West Coast. I said, ‘Well, why can't we do that on motorcycles?’” Scott explained.
People submitted heartfelt letters for loved ones to the Miracle Riders, and on May 2, the group left Columbus, Georgia, setting off on a three-week, 9,500-mile journey through 38 states.
“Some people knew we were coming. Some didn't know we were coming,” Scott told News 12. “The emotions have just been unbelievable. I mean, we've been with 86-year-old grandmothers. We've had little kids that are going through health issues. I know it touches all of us. We all get tears in our eyes when we hear the letters, and we hear the stories.”
It was no different during their stop at the Alters’, which was one of the last before the Miracle Riders headed home. They delivered five handwritten letters from family in Georgia, including Lizzy’s mom who flew up to see the surprise in person.
“Lizzy and Jay have been such rock stars. They have been through the most incredible year and a half with Ellie, and I am just so beyond proud of them. And I just wanted them to know,” Cissy explained.
Ellie Alter was born Oct. 24, 2023 and immediately rushed to the NICU. She had open-heart surgery at 1-week old and spent 100 days in the hospital during her first year of life.
“Her road has been a tough one filled with a lot of obstacles, but it's been one that's also really, really rewarding because she is like the happiest, smiliest girl,” Lizzy said.
“The good news is Ellie makes it super easy,” added Jay. “She's incredibly strong, so we get a lot of strength from her.”
Ellie’s medical challenges aren’t over. She’s still on a feeding tube and has more surgeries the future. But the Alter family is resilient.
“It just teaches you that, similar to these guys on the road, the road is not always straight, but you do ultimately get to your destination,” Jay stated. “The fact they were able to literally show up to our doorstep is something we'll always remember.”
The visit was emotional for Lizzy. She first met the Miracle Riders years ago when her cousin was diagnosed with a rare cancer at the age of 16.
“That’s how our family got connected with them. They would come to the hospital. They would do these visits, and it was really cool,” Lizzy told News 12. “To see them show up for us was a full circle moment. Very, very cool and special.”
“People always ask me, ‘What's the best part of the trip? What's the best thing you've seen?’ And the country's beautiful, but it's always the people,” Scott said before the Miracle Riders said goodbye to the Alters. “It's the people I refer back to, the people I get to meet.”
The Miracle Riders return home the night of May 23. You can learn more about them here.
