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Bikers rally to help ailing local firefighter

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Dreary, overcast skies didn’t put a damper on 100 motorcycle enthusiasts who gathered at Big Daddy’s Cycle World in Fayetteville Dec. 5 to help a Fayette County firefighter diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor raise money for his medical care.

The bikers revved up their engines around 2:30 p.m. and embarked on a 30-mile adventure through Fayette County, circling past several fire stations to show their support for Josh Warren.

Owners of Big Daddy’s Cycle World and R.V. Center, BlackJack Motorcycles and Hangar 74 in Peachtree City teamed up to host the charity motorcycle ride in Warren’s honor. Jerry Pate, the organizer, deemed the event a success. All told, the owners raised $5,300 that will be donated to the Joshua Warren Assistance Fund.

“We were in the range where we wanted to be,” Pate said of the collection total. “Certainly, you can never raise enough money for something like that, but it was certainly heartwarming to see the outpouring of support.”

In addition, to the 100 motorcycles, 30 people including Warren and his 4-year-old daughter, Haley, attended the event, Pate said.

Pate said Warren was a stranger to him just months ago. But when Pate learned Warren, who is only 25, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in August, he was determined to help.

“We read about it in The Citizen and we felt like it was the right thing to do,” Pate said. “We could have chipped in a $100 a piece, but we felt like we had a better avenue to raise money in a more effective way.”

Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services Capt. Mitch Warren said Josh Warren was overwhelmed by the love and generosity showed by many, some of whom he didn’t know.

“Josh was very humbled,” Mitch Warren said. “He couldn’t imagine that that many people came out for something like that. He was really surprised.”

Warren has not been able to work throughout the ordeal. Friends have offered to help him pay for $700 insurance payments and cover other needed expenses for him and his daughter. Josh Warren is receiving medical care through the M.D. Anderson Cancer Research Center in Texas.

Donations are still needed and more fundraisers will be forthcoming. Anyone who would like to help can drop their tax-deductible donation off to any Wachovia Bank in care of Josh Warren.