By Amelia Cecchetto

For Adam Heyde and Carlo Cecchetto, supporting the 5th annual Rides4ALZ is very personal. They both have lost loved ones to Alzheimer’s disease, and are dedicated to helping the San Diego community. Adam works as an Operations Manager with Jingoli Power, which has sponsored the Ride since 2019. Carlo is a longtime Evening News Anchor with CBS News 8 and the CW, and currently serves on the board for Alzheimer’s San Diego.

When it came time to start planning this year’s ride, Adam and Carlo enthusiastically stepped up to become event co-chairs. Keep reading to learn more about what the Rides4ALZ means to them.

Adam with his grandmother

Q: Why were you inspired to become event chairs for Rides4ALZ?
Adam: I vividly remember how devastating this disease was to my family. I grew up with both maternal and paternal grandparents that suffered from Alzheimer’s, and I know all too well how families can be affected and the toll it can take on everyone. I decided to participate without hesitation to support Alzheimer’s San Diego because it’s critical to raise funds for research of this debilitating disease that has no cure and to provide support to so many local San Diegans that are affected. Living in San Diego, it’s important to be supporting a local nonprofit. By doing so we can ensure that the money we raise stays local and helps the San Diegans affected by Alzheimer’s and Dementia in our local community.

Carlo: I’ve been involved with Alzheimer’s San Diego for years and am passionate about the organization’s mission. Helping individuals dealing with dementia as well as their families and caregivers…is incredibly important. Being a free resource during incredibly challenging and emotional times is a gift to the tens of thousands impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. I lost my father to Alzheimer’s disease in 2015. My family understands how difficult a journey it is to take care of a loved one dealing with this insidious disease and I just want to do whatever I can to make that fight easier for others. I’m still quite sad about losing my father to Alzheimer’s and what it robbed him of, but helping others dealing with it seems to help.

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Q: What would you tell someone who’s on the fence about doing the ride?

Carlo on his first motorcycle

Carlo: It’s going to be a blast!! Coming off a year of being indoors and isolated, it’s a fantastic chance to celebrate life and San Diego with a big group of people just trying to make a positive impact in our community. And the party at the end will be fun for riders and attendees alike!

Adam: Join! Come and ride with us! This is a way to bring everyone together in a fun and safe way, to raise money to support members of our local community that are suffering. It’s likely that you, or someone you know, have been affected in some way by Alzheimer’s, and this is just a great event to bring our community together to join the fight.

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Q: Adam, as a longtime Rides4ALZ sponsor, how do you think it’s evolved over the years?
Adam: Since I have started participating in the Ride, this has been an amazing event. COVID-19 may have made the event pivot a little, and we weren’t able to get together in large numbers last year, but the support has been unwavering and the Rides4ALZ just grows every year! Participants have been safe, and last year’s virtual event was amazingly well put together.

The 5th annual Rides4ALZ will be held on Saturday, July 10th. As always, all funds raised will stay local to support people impacted by dementia and research for a cure. Click here to learn more >>