This February, a single bicycle will carry far more than a rider from Clarens to Cape Town; it will carry stories of loss, gratitude and a deep belief that midlife can be the beginning of something extraordinary.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (10 February 2026) – There are people who chase finish lines and then there are people who chase meaning. Gordon “Lucky Gordy” Reid sits firmly in the second camp.
In a few weeks’ time, he’ll clip into his pedals in Clarens and point his bike towards Cape Town, taking on an 881km ride over 8 demanding days. It’s big, it’s bold, and, like everything Gordy does, it’s about far more than the kilometres on the road.
At 52, Gordy is an endurance athlete, a serial philanthropist and a Discovery Financial Advisor but labels only tell part of the story. His journey has been shaped by setbacks, sharp turns, and a deep belief that life is meant to be lived fully, generously, and with gratitude. This Trans Karoo Spirit Ride, organised by the Zululand Rotary Club, will end with the Cape Cycle Tour, bringing his total distance to a hefty 990km in just 10 days. It’s not just another adventure, it’s a mission with heart.
We sat down with Gordon to chat about the ride, the road that led him here, and the meaning behind the name that’s become synonymous with purpose-driven endurance: Lucky Gordy.
So, first things first… why “Lucky Gordy”?
Well, the proudly South African athlete says that “givers gain” is part of his moral code. Lucky Gordy believes that the luckier you think you are, the luckier you become… and it all starts with gratitude.
“I’ve lived an extraordinary life, filled with opportunities, adventures, and incredible people. At 52, if I died tomorrow, I’d go knowing I gave it my best shot,” he explains.
“I call myself Lucky Gordy because I am lucky. Lucky to be here, lucky to be healthy enough to take on these challenges and lucky to be able to give back. My mission is simple: inspire people to support the causes that matter to them. If my story inspires even one person or sparks one moment of change, then my job here is done.”
That outlook didn’t come from an easy chapter. At 40, Gordy’s life took a sharp detour through hospitals and operating theatres.
“My five operations in one year were: two sinus operations, followed by two more surgeries to remove and biopsy suspicious tissue around my kidneys. And, just to add to the chaos of that year, I very nearly cut my own hand off in a signage accident with a box cutter. Not my finest year by far but that was the start of my ‘Healthy Midlife Crisis’.”
From hospital beds to covering more than 9,000km across some of South Africa’s toughest events, the shift didn’t happen overnight but there was a moment that changed everything.
“My wife and two beautiful daughters are my daily motivation. They push me to be better and to lead by example. But the true turning point came in 2013, shortly after my operations. I attended The Cows KZN launch party and, in a moment of pure impulse, signed a serviette committing to do a Half Ironman. Their message was simple: Do something you never believed you could do.”
At that stage, I wasn’t a runner or a swimmer (not even close) but that single signature marked the beginning of a completely new journey.”
Since then, Gordy has taken on the Comrades Marathon, multiple Dusi Canoe Marathons, Run for Rangers, Amashova in just about every form imaginable, Wines2Whales and more than ten Midmar Mile swims. Along the way, he’s helped raise millions for charities and shown that midlife isn’t an ending; it’s often a beginning.
Photo Credit: Gordon “Lucky Gordy” Reid
He’s passionate about reframing how we see that chapter of life.
“Life is precious, and the old saying ‘you only live once’ isn’t true. The truth is: we die once, but we get to live every single day. It is never too late to make a change,” he tells us.
If you’re unhappy with any part of your life… your career, fitness levels, relationships, or even how you feel about yourself, take a bold step. Commit to change. Tell people what you’re planning, so they hold you accountable. Then start. Anything is possible.”
Gordy only began exercising seriously at 40. He says that he almost lost everything during COVID at 46. He changed careers at 47. And then started rewriting his story.
But this particular ride carries extra weight because of who it supports. Gordy is riding to raise R40,000 for the Rotary Club of Empangeni, with funds going to The Butterfly Home, the first and only registered children’s hospice in rural KwaZulu-Natal.
“Our country faces enormous challenges, but we’re blessed with extraordinary people and resources. Your work as ‘The Good Things Guy’ showcases that daily… ordinary South Africans doing extraordinary things through kindness and purpose.”
I’ve felt the weight of loss deeply. I lost my mum, my niece and several close friends to cancer. Holding my mum’s hand in a hospice in the UK as she took her last breath, ten years ago this month, changed me forever. Watching my niece, Paige Desaunois, go from a healthy 17-year-old to passing away just seven weeks after her first headaches showed me how fragile life is, and how essential love, dignity, and peace are at the end of life.”
Those experiences shaped him, and they guide him. They pushed him to help in the way he knows how.
For Gordy, The Butterfly Home represents compassion in action, providing paediatric palliative care to orphaned and abandoned children with severe disabilities and life-limiting conditions.
“The R40,000 I hope to raise will help them buy a vehicle for their outreach programme, a practical, life-changing tool that will allow them to reach more children, more families, and more communities who desperately need support. One act of kindness. One child at a time. One brave step forward into something better.”
When the road stretches long and the legs start to burn between Clarens and Cape Town, Gordy knows exactly what keeps him moving.
“I write the names of the people I’ve lost to life-limiting illnesses on my arms. It keeps them with me. I picture my mum, and my niece Paige. I also picture the children we’re riding for: abandoned or orphaned kids facing their final days with severe disabilities and life-limiting conditions. Imagining them being loved, held and given dignity at the end of life is what carries me up the hills and through the toughest moments.”
This ride is a celebration of distance travelled in every sense of the word… from recovery to purpose and from challenge to contribution. Gordon “Lucky Gordy” Reid is proving that age is not a limit, that giving back can be woven into even the hardest pursuits and that choosing gratitude can turn effort into impact.
You can follow Lucky Gordy on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok or LinkedIn. Or donate to his cause by clicking here.
Photo Credit: Gordon “Lucky Gordy” Reid
Sources: Interview with Gordon “Lucky Gordy” Reid
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