What Ava Taught Me About Climbing

In a few days, I'll stand at the start line of SBT GRVL in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Like every rider around me, I've spent months preparing. I've logged countless miles. Climbed hills. Trained in the rain. Worried whether I've done enough. People often ask if I'm nervous.

The answer is yes. But not because of the race. After six years of riding with Yes We Can Cycling, I've learned something important: the hardest climbs in life rarely happen on a bicycle. My daughter Ava taught me that.

When Ava was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, I didn't receive a map. There wasn't a training plan. No one could tell me exactly what challenges would come next or how steep the road ahead would be. Like many parents of children with disabilities, I found myself entering a world I knew very little about. There were doctor appointments, therapies, difficult conversations, setbacks, victories, and plenty of uncertainty. There were days when progress felt painfully slow and moments when I wished I could remove every obstacle standing in Ava's way.

And there were countless reminders that some of life's most meaningful accomplishments don't happen according to anyone else's timeline. What Ava showed me is that perseverance doesn't always look the way we expect. Sometimes perseverance is learning a new skill, showing up for another therapy appointment, refusing to let someone else define your potential, or simply getting back up and trying again.

Over the years, I've watched Ava do all of those things. I've watched her tackle challenges that would intimidate most adults. I've watched her continue moving forward when it would have been easier to stop. 

When Yes We Can Cycling began, I thought we were creating a cycling team, but we were really creating a community of people who believe that every individual deserves the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. The point is to create more opportunities for families and support organizations that make “Yes” days possible for kids with disabilities.  

This year, our team has an opportunity to surpass $3 million raised in support of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, Easterseals DuPage & Fox Valley, and the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago. That's an incredible milestone.

But when I think about what matters most, I don't think about the number; I think about the families who need support. And I think about Ava. Because every time I face a difficult climb on a bike, I remember someone who has spent her entire life teaching me how to climb.

As we head to Steamboat this week, that's what I'll be carrying with me. We'll see you at the start line.

— Brad Serot, Founder, Yes We Can Cycling