ABILENE, Texas — Out of a devastating loss, one local family is turning grief into purpose with a long-distance bike ride to raise awareness about infant loss in memory of their daughter, Vera.
After losing Vera in 2019, McIver and his wife, Brooke, planned the ride as a way to give back to the doctors who fought to save their daughter’s life.
Abilene dad bikes to Dallas to fund high-risk pregnancy care in daughter’s memory (The McIver family)
On March 14, McIver reached the finish line after traveling 150 miles to Dallas in less than 24 hours, completing what he described as a deeply personal journey.
McIver said the ride became both a physical test of endurance and an emotional journey that forced him to confront the loss of his daughter and process that grief.
Abilene dad bikes to Dallas to fund high-risk pregnancy care in daughter’s memory (The McIver family)
“There were a couple times that I questioned if I could do it, and I thought of her,” said McIver. “A song came on that reminds me of her, and it just kept pushing me to keep going.”
Abilene dad bikes to Dallas to fund high-risk pregnancy care in daughter’s memory (KTXS/Alex Webb)
For McIver, the journey didn’t end at the finish line.
Instead, it marked the beginning of a broader mission to raise awareness, build community, and remind others facing similar heartbreak that they are not alone.
Abilene dad bikes to Dallas to fund high-risk pregnancy care in daughter’s memory (The McIver family)
McIver said the ride raised nearly $3,000, which will go toward supporting maternal-fetal care and helping families navigating high-risk pregnancies in the Big Country.