My father’s story is one of imagination, talent, and endurance. A North Carolina-born artist whose science-fiction illustrations and comic-book work inspired generations, but his super-hero like resilience didn’t prevent dementia from stealing some of memories later in life. But long before that, he was a boy on a bicycle, riding the open roads of the South with a head full of stories and the freedom that only two wheels can give.
When dementia began erasing the life he built, some of his treasured stories began to fade, but all his cycling tales stayed fast. The idea that our early childhood memories, often fomented by the freedom, independence and adventures bicycling brings are later the very last ones maintained by the failing mind. Out of this realization came Ride to Remember, a nonprofit effort using the power of cycling to unite communities and raise awareness for dementia and caregiver support.
We’re now raising funds for a documentary film that brings these threads together:
The caregivers who shoulder the heartbreak and isolation of dementia
The individuals fighting to hold onto their identities
The way cycling — universal, meditative, and healing — can reconnect memory, body, and purpose
This documentary culminates in the recreation of my father’s 1930s ride — filmed across the same hills that once inspired his imagination — capturing the human stories along the way that remind us why memory matters. Trailer here…
On July 9, 2026, what would have been my father Murphy C. Anderson Jr.’s 100th birthday, I’ll retrace the ride that shaped his youth — a two-day, 214-mile journey across North Carolina — to honor his life, his legacy, and those living with dementia.
Murphy Anderson’s achievements — from his North Carolina roots to his celebrated comic-book and science-fiction career — give us a platform to reach audiences who care about creativity, legacy, and the human mind. We hope to leverage some of his rich history to advance this cause.
With your support, we will:
Fund the documentary’s production — crew, filming, editing, distribution.
Capture real stories — heartbreaking and hopeful — of those living with dementia and those caring for them.
Amplify impact — screen the film, host community viewings, partner with Alzheimer’s/dementia organizations, and use it to sustain long-term awareness and fundraising.
Elevate research & resources — a portion of proceeds will go directly to dementia research and caregiver support.
Distribute caregiver support guides — resources framed around the practical lessons garnered from the experiences of caregivers and practitioners explored in the film.
Join us. Help us ride for memory, ride for hope — and pedal toward solutions.
