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UTAH COUNTY — Those who knew Nanette Wride two years ago would probably be shocked to see her now, especially dressed up in serious cycling gear.
"I am not a great cyclist,” said Wride with a laugh outside her Utah County home. “But I’m loving it. I’m addicted.”
Wride started cycling seriously in the last year or so, and has been pedaling almost every day for the past few months.
"I have learned a whole lot and I really enjoy it. I actually giggle when I ride,” said Wride.
She rides not just because she loves it, but because she's training for the ride of her life.
"Newark, New Jersey, to Washington D.C. — 320 miles in three days,” said Wride.
Some might say that's too much for a beginner.
"If you think about it, it is. But then if you think about why we're doing it, it's so super humbling. I can't imagine a better way to honor Cory,” said Wride.
Wride is the widow of Utah County Sgt. Cory Wride, who was shot and killed in the line of duty last year.
Next month, his name is being placed on the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington D.C.
However, rather than just attend the ceremony, Wride wants to, well, ride.
I know exactly why I'm doing it, yeah, and I can't think of a better way to honor him.
–Nanette Wride
“Everybody who has advised me suggested not to do this, for me just to go the first year to just kind of absorb things and see Cory be honored by the officers in Washington D.C. Let me be pampered a little. That’s just kind of not my style. I would rather be by my officers and I would rather honor him this way,” said Wride.
Every year before the ceremony, there is a 3-day police bike ride, called the Police Unity Tour, in which officers, friends, and family of someone killed ride in their honor.
Wride will be the first widow ever to participate.
"Actually, in the beginning, I didn't know I was the first one. I had no idea. It just isn't like me to sit still. I'm a doer and I wanted to be able to turn this bad thing into something good,” said Wride.
“I don’t want it to be about me. I want it to be about those fallen officers. It’s about those families who have gone through the hell I’ve gone through and the hell our family has gone through and I just want people to know we can be strong and we can stand for something that is good instead of something bad.”
It’s something, she thinks, her husband would be proud of.
"I know exactly why I'm doing it, yeah, and I can't think of a better way to honor him,” said Wride.
*Wride has also started a foundation, called the Utah Code 4 Foundation, to help other widows going through similar circumstances and to help raise money for equipment and other gear that law enforcement officers need.
*There is also a link to help pay for her and friends to go to Washington D.C. for the Police Unity Tour.
Those riding with Wride will include her two sons and the two brothers of Draper police Sgt. Derek Johnson, who was shot and killed in 2013.
Johnson’s name was added to the Memorial last year and his brothers rode on the tour.
“And they’ve promised me, every single one of them have promised me we will not let you fail. They told me ‘you will make it through this’”, said Wride.
Of course, if riding her bike gets tough around mile 128 or 276, Wride says her motivation to finish will get her through.
“I know exactly why I’m doing it, yeah, and I can’t think of a better way to honor him,” said Wride.
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Contributing Mark Wetzel
