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SANIBEL FIRE AND RESCUE DISTRICT
From left, Sanibel Fire and Rescue District Capt. Mike Martin and Deputy Fire Chief John DiMaria took part in the annual Brotherhood Ride on Oct. 20-29.
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BROTHERHOOD RIDE
The annual Brotherhood Ride took place on Oct. 20-29 and covered nearly 900 miles from Fort Myers to Miami. This year’s event was dedicated to 24 fallen heroes who died in the line of duty in 2024.
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BROTHERHOOD RIDE
This year’s annual Brotherhood Ride on Oct. 20-29 in Florida was dedicated to 24 fallen heroes who died in the line of duty in 2024.
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SANIBEL FIRE AND RESCUE DISTRICT
The annual Brotherhood Ride took place on Oct. 20-29 and covered nearly 900 miles from Fort Myers to Miami. This year’s event was dedicated to 24 fallen heroes who died in the line of duty in 2024.
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SANIBEL FIRE AND RESCUE DISTRICT
The annual Brotherhood Ride took place on Oct. 20-29 and covered nearly 900 miles from Fort Myers to Miami. This year’s event was dedicated to 24 fallen heroes who died in the line of duty in 2024.
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SANIBEL FIRE AND RESCUE DISTRICT
The annual Brotherhood Ride took place on Oct. 20-29 and covered nearly 900 miles from Fort Myers to Miami. This year’s event was dedicated to 24 fallen heroes who died in the line of duty in 2024.
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SANIBEL FIRE AND RESCUE DISTRICTThe annual Brotherhood Ride took place on Oct. 20-29 and covered nearly 900 miles from Fort Myers to Miami. This year’s event was dedicated to 24 fallen heroes who died in the line of duty in 2024.
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SANIBEL FIRE AND RESCUE DISTRICT
The annual Brotherhood Ride took place on Oct. 20-29 and covered nearly 900 miles from Fort Myers to Miami. This year’s event was dedicated to 24 fallen heroes who died in the line of duty in 2024.
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Two members of the Sanibel Fire and Rescue District recently took part in a statewide event to honor 24 fallen Florida heroes who died in the line of duty in 2024 while protecting their communities.
Deputy Fire Chief John DiMaria and Capt. Mike Martin joined dozens of fellow riders for the 2025 Brotherhood Ride from Oct. 20-29, which covered nearly 900 miles from Fort Myers to Miami.
Martin first took part in 2020 for Sanibel Police Department Sgt. Anthony Neri, who had passed away.
“It was to honor him,” he said. “That’s how I got involved.”
“It’s important to show families that their loved ones are not forgotten,” Martin added of why he has continued to participate.
His second year taking part, DiMaria explained that Martin introduced him to the event.
“We’ve always rode bikes together,” he said. “But this was a way to honor the fallen and show the families of first responders who have died in the line of duty that they’re not forgotten.”
On Oct. 20, the send-off ceremony for the participants was held at the Fort Myers Fire Department’s Station 11 in Fort Myers. The group traveled north through Ocala to Gainesville, then headed to Jacksonville. Next, they headed down the east coast of the state, ending the ride on Oct. 29 in Miami.
Martin reported that the journey started out well and was mostly smooth.
“Once we started getting to the east coast, we started getting the outer bands from Hurricane Melissa,” DiMaria added. “But it didn’t stop our ride. We continued on through the downpours.”
This year, the participants made 10 Honor Stops.
“We stop and honor those fallen from those specific departments,” DiMaria said, noting that there is usually a ceremony and the event organizers provide an overview of the ride and how it started.
The family members of the fallen are typically present and they spend time with them.
“We present a poster to the families that all of the riders signed,” he said, explaining that if there is a memorial for the fallen nearby, the group will also make a stop at the site to honor those fallen.
Hosted by the Florida Elks Lodges, the participants stayed overnight in Arcadia, Lakeland, Eustis, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Port Orange, Cocoa, Stuart-Jensen and Delray Beach.
“They feed us dinner. We have an area where we set up and do laundry,” Martin said, noting that the Elks clear out space for them to sleep on air mattresses and feed them breakfast before they leave.
“That’s all volunteer on their part,” he added. “They support the ride as much as anyone.”
The Elks will also do fundraisers among their members and donate the funds to the cause.
A nonprofit charity organization, the Brotherhood Ride’s mission is to provide emotional support — through the annual event and more — and financial support to the families who are left behind.
The participants also help to fundraise leading up to the event.
“Every rider had a donation goal of $1,000,” DiMaria said. “I believe everyone was able to met or exceed it this year.”
Both are hoping to take part again next year.
“It really becomes this extended family,” Martin said. “There are families that we’ve honored in the past that have continued to meet us at our ending destination.”
“As a first responder, it’s definitely an honor to be able to participate,” DiMaria added. “To be able to honor the memories of the fallen and get to meet the families and see how much it means to them.”
The Brotherhood Ride started in 2007 in the wake of a fire that took the lives of nine Charleston, South Carolina, firefighters. Founder Jeff Morse wanted to do something to remember them, and the ride was born. In 2008, they rode nine days from Fort Myers to Charleston, dedicating one day to each hero lost.
To donate or for more information, visit https://www.brotherhoodride.com/.