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Author Topic: "It's a Celebration"  (Read 1421 times)

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Offline CG6468

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"It's a Celebration"
« on: April 30, 2012, 02:15:59 PM »
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Day 2 of George W. Bush's Warrior 100K Ride: the toughest 'celebration' imaginable

By Tom Benning / Reporter

AMARILLO - After more than 25 miles on a mountain bike, Juan Arredondo's calves finally gave in and seized up in cramps.

But the retired Army sergeant was far from finished, especially being only a mile away from the finish line on the second day of the George W. Bush Institute's Warrior 100K Ride in Palo Duro Canyon State Park.

As a volunteer rider worked on his calves - which were injured by an improvised explosive device in 2005 - Arredondo waved off a medical team staffer who offered to give him a lift in a golf cart back to the finish line.

"Negative, sir," he said, taking a swig of Gatorade before looking up at the final, brutal ascent. "We're too close."

Arredondo, who also uses a prosthetic for where he lost his left hand, hopped back on his bike and powered up the hill to the finish line. As he rode up to greet a waiting George W. Bush, the sergeant started to apologize for not staying on the former president's pace.

But Bush would have none of it, telling Arredondo, "Don't worry about it." As the former president later explained to reporters, the mere presence of Arredondo - and the 18 other wounded veterans on the ride - meant more to him than any time or finishing place.

"This is not a race, really," Bush said of the event, which aims to honor service members injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. "It's a celebration."

 :salutearmy:  :saluteaf:  :saluteusmc:  :salutenavy:  :usflag:

Supporting our military
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Offline RightCoast

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Re: "It's a Celebration"
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2012, 02:34:21 PM »
GWB = a True American
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Offline Eupher

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Re: "It's a Celebration"
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2012, 04:18:52 PM »
He is a class act, no doubt.
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Offline thundley4

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Re: "It's a Celebration"
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2012, 04:23:41 PM »
And that is why President Bush is still liked and respected my the military.  Has Carter or Clinton done anything like this? Will Obama once he leaves office?
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Offline A7X_foREVer

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Re: "It's a Celebration"
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2012, 06:20:01 PM »
Bush keeps on showing what a true class act he is
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Offline Kyle Ricky

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Re: "It's a Celebration"
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2012, 07:37:17 PM »
President Bush is one of, if not the most classy Presidents ever. He is a true American. God, I miss him. It was nice to have a President who cared about his country and the American people in office. Unlike what we have now.
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Offline A7X_foREVer

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Re: "It's a Celebration"
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2012, 08:09:43 PM »
Quote from: Kyle Ricky on April 30, 2012, 07:37:17 PM
President Bush is one of, if not the most classy Presidents ever. He is a true American. God, I miss him. It was nice to have a President who cared about his country and the American people in office. Unlike what we have now.


I agree 100% and after I read his book it just made him even more impressive
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