Troy gears up for fourth annual O's Cool Bike Ride

Two Troy professors will soon hold a bike riding event on Troy’s campus to honor their son who passed away at the age of two. 

O’s Cool Bike Ride and Walk is an annual bike ride in its fourth year, held to memorialize Owen Lewis, the son of Drs. Heather and Onick Lewis. Owen passed away from sudden cardiac death caused bylymphocytic myocarditis – a disease often found in young athletes resulting from inflammation in the heart – on Apr. 28, 2022. 

“Owen was an energetic, athletic two-and-a-half-year-old little boy who loved riding his balance bike,” said Dr. Heather Lewis, Owen’s mother and the management program coordinator for the hospitality, tourismand event management program. “He idolized his dad, Onick, who is an avid cyclist and endurance athlete, and Owen grew up watching his daddy ride bikes.  

“He referred to his bike as his ‘cool bike’ – hence the name O’s Cool Bike Foundation. He was gifted his first balance bike at just three months old for his first Christmas and was riding it around the house by the time he was 18 months old.  

“We felt confident that he would have been riding a regular bike with pedals by the time he turned three.” 

The event consists of 34-, 45-, and 64-mile bike rides through Pike County, a 1.2-mile walk-run-ride option around campus for those who aren’t comfortable doing the longer distances, and a half mile loop around the quad for any children learning to ride.  

For Owen’s parents, this event is a way to stay connected with their son, even if he isn’t physically present. 

“It is amazing that we are able to do this for him and keep his memory alive through the event and the foundation,” Heather said. “Even though we are unable to care for him on a daily basis like we would if he were still with us, the time, effort and love that we pour into this event allows us to feel like we are still caring for him indirectly.  

“It is heartwarming to see so many people come out to participate and support our efforts to honor Owen.” 

Honoring Owen is just half of the inspiration for the ride. They also use the funds gained to allow O’s Cool Bike Foundation to provide balance bikes to lower socio-economic headstart programs throughout Southeast Alabama. 

“We specifically chose this population because we understand the need for healthy activities that teach and provide independence, and this may be their only opportunity to learn at such a young age,” said OnickLewis, Owen’s father and the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program director. “The balance bikes and helmets are also provided to the facilities, so it is more sustainable for all parties long-term.  

“With providing them to facilities instead of individual children, new groups of kids can be exposed to the bikes as the previous children grow and age out of the program, allowing the bikes to be used for greater good this way.” 

Such a large event with so many different elements, options and routes require long, in-depth preparation, which is made possible for Heather and Onick by their students. 

“HSTM 4450-Event Management students are actually planning this event,” Onick said. “Dr. [Heather] Lewis works with her class throughout the entire semester to plan the event from start to finish every spring semester.  

“The students are responsible for developing a budget, timelines, procuring vendors and sponsorships, recruiting participants, designing the finisher medals and t-shirts, even organizing the volunteers. At this point, most of the behind-the-scenes planning has been completed.” 

The fourth Annual O’s Cool Bike Ride and Walk will take place on Saturday, Apr. 25 on Troy University’s campus.