LaFontaine rides to honor patient
By JANE KWIATKOWSKI, News Staff Reporter for The
Buffalo News
Visit our photo
gallery to see photos from the event
June 21, 2005 -- Hundreds of memories power the
cyclists who will pedal Saturday, but this
year's 10th Ride for Roswell draws a hockey hero
back to Buffalo to serve as honorary captain of
one of the event's 150 teams.
Former Buffalo Sabre Pat LaFontaine will ride
the 62.5-mile course in memory of Robert
Schwegler, a bone marrow transplant patient from
Williamsville who died of leukemia in 1994 at
age 12. Accompanying LaFontaine will be
Schwegler family and friends including Erika
Schwegler, Robert's mother, who signed on for
the 9-mile course.
"The money raised is for research, but the ride
is for you to honor those who survived cancer as
well as those who did not," she said. "There is
a special kind of person who works at Roswell.
They make you feel good."
More than $3 million (including the pledges this
year) has been raised for cancer research and
patient care programs, according to John Senall,
manager of marketing communications for
development. In addition, about 14,000 riders
have participated in the event since 1996.
Participants in the event are asked to raise a
minimum of $75 in pledges to ride one of four
routes: 9 mile (Creekside), 20 mile (River
Ride), 33 mile (Clarence Ride) or 62.5 mile
(Alabama Ride). Frequent rest stops and
beverages are located along each route. A picnic
lunch provided by Mississippi Mudds and a 10th
anniversary recognition ceremony will highlight
post-ride festivities.
LaFontaine, who will fly in from New York City
especially for the ride, befriended many young
cancer patients during his years with the Sabres.
His participation in the Roswell ride does not
surprise the Schwegler family.
"Pat is a unique individual, and it has nothing
to do with his athletic ability," said Schwegler.
"Some human beings give of themselves and ask
for nothing in return. For him, it was a
no-brainer. Anything he does, he does for
children. That is his mission. That's his new
life, his new career.
"We don't look at him as a star, we look at him
as Pat, somebody's son," Schwegler added. "His
parents created a beautiful human being."
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