Elkhorn Man Honoring Son by Biking, Raising Money for Cancer Research

An Elkhorn man is honoring his son by biking 300 miles in a fundraising relay event.

Greg Bay lost his four-year old son, Tyler, to a rare form of brain cancer in 1999. Now, Bay works for Bristol-Myers Squibb, which leads a biking fundraiser called ‘Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer,’ which benefits the ‘V Foundation.’

Bay said he’s grateful to have an outlet for honoring Tyler’s life.

“We look for ways, personally as an individual and as a family, to honor Tyler’s legacy,” he said. “It’s incredibly inspirational. It’s part of remembering his legacy and helping others who are unfortunately affected with this horrible disease.”

In Early September, Bay and his team will ride from Bend, Oregon to Boise, Idaho. The team will ride for more than 80 miles a day over three days.

Bay said training for the event offers a lot of time for self-reflection.

“My son is the wind beneath my wings on those days when it’s 100 degree heat index in Nebraska,” he said. “You’re out there riding 20 or 30 or 40 miles that day as part of your training.”

There are two routes at this year’s biking event to make up for last year’s pandemic cancellation. With different stops in the middle, each route takes 24 days beginning in Oregon and ending in New Jersey.

The V foundation was created in honor of Jim Valvano, a legendary college basketball coach who led North Carolina State to a national title. Valvano died of multiple forms of cancer in 1993. The foundation rewards a grant each year to scientists researching a cure for any type of cancer.

Eight employees began ‘Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer’ in 2014. More than 500 employees have raised over $7 million for the ‘V Foundation.’