O's Cool Bike Ride marks fourth year, pedals down memory lane

From the sound of spinning wheels to kids laughing on the quad, Troy University was full of energy for the fourth annual O’s Cool Bike Ride – an event centered on joy, connection and remembrance. 

The ride honors Owen Lewis, the 2½-year-old son of Professors Heather Lewis and Onick Lewis, who died unexpectedly from lymphocytic myocarditis in 2022. What began as a way to celebrate Owen’s life has grown into a community-wide event that continues to expand each year. 

“This is all for memory for my son Owen, and he loved dinosaurs, balloons, the color blue, he loved riding his bike,” Heather Lewis said. “Everything today has a touch of Owen somewhere in it, so it’s all for him deep down.” 

That “touch of Owen” can be seen throughout the event, from bright colors to family-friendly activities designed with children in mind. The ride welcomes participants of all skill levels, offering 64-, 45- and 34-mile rides, along with a 1.2-mile walk and ride and a half-mile loop around the quad for younger participants. 

Even though the event surrounds the rides and walks, organizers say it’s about more than just that – it’s also about the people who show up year after year.  

“Every year, this event continues to grow and we are so thankful for Troy University, for the community, for everyone that participates because this isn’t a have-to event – this is an elective event that they come and support and we are so thankful for that,” Heather Lewis said. 

For Heather Lewis, the memories of her son remain at the heart of the day. 

“My favorite memory of Owen was probably when he first started riding his bike, and we would go out and he would just go,” Heather Lewis said. “He was a beast on his little bike, and there was one day that him and I were out walking – well I was walking and he was riding his bike.  

“He heard a fire truck and he just took off, and I had to run to sprint to catch him. That was the common denominator with him.  

We were always having to chase him because he wanted to fly down the hills and he would just lift up his feet and he would go. He was nonstop all the time.  

“He was just a true boy, super athletic, super vibrant child. Everyone loved him, he lit up a room.” 

Families who attended said the event created a space that is both meaningful and uplifting. 

“As a parent, I believe that this event is wonderful to memorialize and continue the legacy of Owen,” said Lakeveya Jones, a participant and mother. “It’sabsolutely beautiful. 

“I know that grief can be a complicated, complicated journey, but doing something of this magnitude makes me, as a parent, very proud and very supportive of baby Owen. With the numbers on today, I feel like they were very supportive, very high energy, the right people in the right place to honor baby Owen.” 

Jones’ son Cadence Jones, with a face painted like Spider-Man, shared his thoughts on participating in the bike ride.  

“It was good because I had a lot of fun riding my scooter,” Cadence said. 

Students involved in organizing the event say the hands-on experience also provides valuable learning opportunities. Martha Flay Rhodes, a student in Heather Lewis’ class who helped plan the event, said the experience gave her practical insight beyond the classroom. 

“Obviously the hands on aspect of it is so helpful, because, yes, I can learn from my marketing class, my communications class [and learn] what I need to know about the major and logistics behind it all, but being hands-on and getting to work at the actual event is so much more beneficial in the long run,” Rhodes said. 

Organizers say the event continues to serve as a reminder of the power of community, bringing people together to celebrate Owen’s life while creating new memories each year. 

It is a day built on connection, one that ensures Owen’s spirit lives on both on and off the bike.