Some of chances are you’ll keep in mind your dad and mom telling you to “be good” while you left dwelling to go someplace similar to college or church. You may even recall your grandparents saying this to your dad and mom as adults. For many Americans, “be good” was a typical parting phrase that was mentioned together with “I love you” or “be safe.” In the eyes of the message giver, you by no means know when the following time you say it could be the final.
For Rebecca Rusch, it’s greater than a phrase, it’s a precept of her life as a result of it was handed all the way down to her by her late father, Capt. Stephen A. Rusch, who was serving in Vietnam when he was killed in motion after his aircraft was shot down. When he wrote letters to dwelling, they’d finish with that phrase. Rusch was solely three years previous on the time that her father handed away. She and her sister could be raised by their mom in a single-parent dwelling. She admitted it was a wrestle to search out her approach throughout childhood, however she discovered that approach after becoming a member of her highschool’s cross-country group.
“There was no athletics in my background. I was just looking for something, and when I joined that team, I found a community,” she mentioned. “I also found my body could be used as a tool to go places and do stuff.”
That discovery led Rusch to find a complete world, actually and figuratively. She discovered a brand new ardour and went all in on it. She dedicated extra to working in addition to biking, climbing, kayaking, and extra. That mixed with motivation and curiosity led her to do extra exploring as soon as she grew up.
“I never envisioned it to be my career, but it kept falling into place as I chose more adventures and doing more things.”
Rusch would spend time working in an area well being membership, which finally led to her opening a sequence of rock-climbing gyms herself. After that, she went again to exploring once more. She wasn’t motivated by cash or making a residing, despite the fact that that turned out to be what occurred. It was her ardour, motivation, and companionship she felt when concerned in health actions that fueled her. She would go on to compete in biking competitively and win seven world championships.
“It’s been an amazing journey that all started with running in high school.”
After fulfilling a drive to be first in competitions, she shifted her focus to new firsts similar to distinctive adventures and going to locations she had by no means been, together with in 2015 when she went to the Ho Chi Minh path that her father crashed and died at. While one could really feel that might set off trauma, Rusch felt a brand new connection that impressed her.
“I knew very little about my father’s experience because no one talked about it,” she defined. “We went on an expedition to ride it and get a historically accurate sense of it.”
She found so much on that journey, together with that there are nonetheless ramifications of the conflict being felt right now. There are nonetheless unexploded gadgets there that might trigger hurt to unintended victims. Rusch felt compelled to assist improve consciousness of this and discover a technique to make a optimistic change.
“I had no idea. I thought the only part of the war left was memories, but I feel my dad called me there to show I could make a difference.”
That journey related her to her dad in a novel approach. She was so impressed by her expertise that she created a documentary referred to as “Blood Road,” which went on to make that distinction, and it might win awards as properly. More importantly, it led to a profession and life shift that might assist many individuals far past herself.
“Many people felt like that would’ve been closure, but it was actually a new opening for me,” she acknowledged.
Rusch took her father’s inspiration and particular message in these letters he wrote and created her personal private mission. She created the Be Good Foundation as a technique to “enrich communities by using the bicycle as a catalyst for healing, empowerment, and evolution.” Part of that mission consists of group bicycle rides to assist promote biking and health on the whole.
Rusch shared, “The bike is an international symbol of travel, connectivity, and mobility. People that saw the bike could immediately tell that I was on a journey.”
The brand for the muse is even in Mr. Rusch’s handwriting, which serves as an emblem for her to proceed working to do as he requested.
“I felt he wanted me to help clean up those unexploded ordnances on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and we also extend the bike to more people to help with mental health, physical health, connectivity, community, service, and getting more kids on bikes.”
That final merchandise is very essential to her as a result of she recalled the liberty that got here with studying to journey a motorcycle as a child. There was one thing empowering in regards to the coaching wheels coming off and having the ability to journey by yourself. She desires children to really feel that very same empowerment right now.
“There was a sense of freedom, then you go hang out with your friends and go on adventures. I don’t want us to lose that as adults.”
As for Rusch’s sister, she discovered her personal path by way of drugs and the United States Air Force. Major General Sharon Bannister discovered the connection to their father by way of service, which additionally helped her forge her path to a profession in dentistry. The sisters at the moment are coming again collectively, and they’re working collectively on sharing the inspiration they acquired from their father. Sharon serves on the Board for the Be Good Foundation.
“It’s really awesome,” Rusch mentioned proudly. The sisters are clearly enthusiastic about serving to others enhance themselves, discover methods to assist others, and make a distinction, however most significantly, she hopes that the individuals she reaches will observe her total message a mission.
“Be good.”
For extra data on the Be Good Foundation, go to TheBeGoodFoundation.org. You can see extra and #JointheRusch at RebeccaRusch.com .