When John’s power began to wane and he knew the end would soon come, he asked his family one last thing before he died: to hear the Harley-Davidson motorcycle speeding up.
After serving in the Air Force, John fell in love with riding motorcycles, owning several bikes and spending countless hours working on other people’s vehicles. Mike Smith, John’s son-in-law, decided to do his best to give John his last wish. Mike reached out to local biker David Thompson to find a way to help John achieve his latest goal.
David was more than willing to help. Using social media, he spread the word, telling fellow riders that John was a veteran with terminal cancer and his dying wish was to hear the motorbikes speeding from his window.
Admitting time was short, David reminded his friends that motorcyclists take care of other motorcyclists, inviting anyone available to meet at the local Walmart parking lot. David’s post went viral, attracting over 800 likes on Facebook.
When David pulled out of the Walmart parking lot, over a hundred cyclists joined him to pay their respects to John. When reporters interviewed reporters about the tribute, David said that while people might think biker culture was loud and obnoxious, it’s a real family and the riders care deeply about each other. John’s wife, Brenda, sheds tears of joy when the drivers visit her.
Although John was too weak to ride his motorbike, the veteran riders helped out for a ride in a sidecar, with his wife seated next to him. John died a few hours after the tribute. Speaking to reporters, Brenda said she knows John died a happy man after the incredible honour.
