Smiles for Miles

On April 20, 2022 Ricardo, Kelvin, and Cesar left the coast of California to complete a cross country bike ride to raise funds and awareness for Shining Stars Foundation. It was an idea they had first dreamed up while competing on Exatlon, a reality TV show where athletes compete in physical challenges.

“The main thing that sparked this whole idea was that we felt we were blessed with being healthy - literally being able to have a healthy moving body,” shared Ricardo. “We were talking about how we take things for granted as simple as being able to throw a ball or ride a bike. It’s awesome we have our health and we should put it to use for something beneficial.”

The very next year, they made this dream a reality and planned their Miles for Smiles ride across the USA. They started their journey by shaving their heads in solidarity with the brave pediatric cancer warriors they wanted to support. The goal was to ride from the coast of California to Miami, FL in a feat that was sure to deeply challenge and test these three strong athletes. And test them it did.

Within the first few days, Ricardo recounted a lot of struggles, including saddle sores, nerve pain in his hand, and the exhaustion of spending all day on his bike. They were also surprised by the constant stress of having cars, trucks, and semis screaming past them all day long.

“Riding on the highway on day three I was thinking about all the things that could go wrong,” Ricardo shared. But they found a way to keep moving forward. “I knew I had to make it through. I had committed to riding across the country and there was no way I could back out. I didn’t care if I had to walk to Miami, I had to get there because I said I would. Everybody was counting on us. We knew it was going to be tough, so we embraced it.”

As they dealt with the wear and tear of hours upon hours on their bikes, their thoughts turned to the Shining Star kids who face unbelievable physical, mental, and emotional challenges every day on their cancer journey. Things were hard, but Ricardo and his team shared with us that they had the luxury of knowing that at some point it would be over. This challenge would end. “We look up to the Shining Star kids. They are going through so many challenges and pain, and they don’t know when they get to be done. That is one thing that we thought about a lot.”

They started out averaging 70 miles a day that first week, upped it to about 80 miles a day by week two, and continued to increase their average daily mileage after that. On day 35 they arrived in Miami, several days ahead of their goal. They finished their journey with an interview on Telemundo where they shared about their experience and the brave kids who inspired it all. They raised over $11,000 for Shining Stars!

For Ricardo, this life-changing experience was “everything I thought it would be and more.” Next up, Ricardo is excited to volunteer with Shining Stars this summer. He also has found a new love of cycling and continues to get on the bike and explore. We can’t wait to see what these amazing guys do next!

Thank you to Ricardo, Kelvin, and Cesar for inspiring us all with your dedication to changing lives and supporting Shining Stars. You can learn more about their experience by checking out their Instagram posts on social media at @ricardo_malta_ @kelvin_noe_renteria @cesar400_

You can also click here to check out their interview on Telemundo.