The Ride to Remember stopped in Glenwood on Saturday, August 10, to honor fallen police officer Josh Owen. The trailer accompanying the ride features images of every police officer killed in action in the United States over the past two years, honoring the 380 police officers who lost their lives in 2022 and 2023.
The Ride to Remember is a 22,000-mile journey across America dedicated to honoring the men and women of law enforcement who have paid the ultimate price in service to the community. The crew includes Allison McCarter, who is riding a motorcycle along with others and the drivers of the truck pulling the trailer. “We are on day 71 of our 73-day journey,” McCarter said.
The Ride to Remember was launched in 2017, and after raising funds and solidifying activities, the first ride took place in June 2020. “A friend asked if it was the right time to do something like this,” McCarter recalled. “But we decided it was the perfect time. We needed to show our support to our officers and the families who had made the ultimate sacrifice. Once we started, we knew we could never stop.”
The tour began by honoring 147 fallen officers from 2019. Over the years, the number of fallen officers has increased, with 368 in 2020 and 608 in 2021. After 2021, it was decided to hold the tour every two years. This year’s ride honors officers from 2022 and 2023, remembering 245 officers from 2022 and 135 from 2023.
“We want the families to know that we are thinking of them and supporting them,” McCarter said. “At every stop, we meet the families and see the community support for them and their law enforcement agencies. It’s rewarding to be a part of that. Once we meet these families, we carry a piece of them with us wherever we go.”
