Durango man to bike 760 miles to raise funds for chronically ill woman (2024)

Bill Ayers is inspired by Brianna Hoffman’s medical journey

Is it possible for a single person to change the world?

Durango resident Bill Ayers’ answer to that question is a resounding, “Yes.”

Before thinking that’s some cliché campaign slogan, he’s not a politician. Ayers is a 54-year-old welder and Midwest transplant who has lived with his family in Durango for eight years, and is in his words, “Just an ordinary guy.”

But this ordinary guy wants to show the world “you can do something to help somebody no matter who you are.” And through one act of sheer, selfless exertion, he plans to make a difference in a special person’s life.

On Wednesday, Ayers will embark on a seven-day 760-mile odyssey from Bayfield to Wamego, Kansas, to try and raise awareness about his former neighbor, Brianna “Bri” Hoffman’s, chronic illness, chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and raise funds to help Bri and her family cover their daughter’s medical expenses.

Ayers will depart from his Durango home at 7 a.m. Wednesday for a send-off party in Bayfield. On the first day, he will travel from Bayfield over Wolf Creek pass to Alamosa, and on the second he will travel from Alamosa to La Junta. Those will be the hardest, longest and steepest days on the route, Ayers said.

Ayers plans to clear the state and make it to Tribune, Kansas, by the end of day three. He will hit Ness City, Kansas, by the end of day four, Hoisington, Kansas, by the end of day five, and Hope, Kansas, by the end of day six.

Finally, if all his training pays off, on the afternoon of day seven Ayers will arrive in Wamego, Kansas.

Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstructionis a rare, understudied condition in which nerve or muscle problems prohibit the movement of food, fluid and air through the digestive system as if there were an intestinal blockage, yet when tests are performed, no blockage is found.

Ayers said he has known the Hoffman family since before Bri was born, and from birth has watched the now 25-year-old struggle with debilitating chronic illnesses. Hoffman spent long stretches of her youth in and out of children’s hospitals but during adolescence she dreamed of becoming a doctor. However, since entering adulthood, Hoffman’s health has continued to deteriorate and she now requires round-the-clock care from her family.

Hoffman said that over the years her CIPO has caused total intestinal tract failure, requiring her to now receive all her nutrition, hydration and medication directly via a central line into her heart. Hoffman also requires an ostomy bag to drain her stomach of bile, air and other waste products 24/7.

Despite being limited by her illness, Hoffman said she pursues her dream of helping others however she can. Over the past few years, that has included chronicling her medical journey on social media, where she has become a source of inspiration and comfort for others living with chronic illness.

“Finding groups of people with overlapping conditions has been a big deal, both to help and to hopefully help other people get through things,” Hoffman said.

Hoffman said the cost of her care is expected to increase soon because for years, many of her medical expenses have been covered by her father’s insurance. However, as Hoffman’s 26th birthday rapidly approaches, she will need to go on Medicaid or find another insurance provider, which will most likely have less comprehensive coverage.

“The positive attitude they have through the adversity that they face is just so inspiring,” said Ayers, who had been watching Hoffman’s medical journey via Facebook since moving away from Wamego.

In January, Ayers, who had recently gotten into road biking, reached out to the Hoffman’s over Zoom and pitched his plan. They were thrilled.

“I was at a loss for words,” Hoffman said. “It was hard for me to realize I had such an impact on someone, especially someone so far away.”

Besides watching her journey from afar, Ayers hadn’t been in touch with the family since leaving Wamego.After a Zoom call with the family, he became even more impressed with Hoffman’s perseverance in the face of adversity.

“They showed us all of her medical supplies that they have to deal with on a daily basis,” Ayers said. “The doctors had recommended that she stay in a long-term care facility and the family said, ‘No, we want her here with us.’”

Since January, Ayers has been training every day in preparation. He said he wakes up at 3:30 a.m., hits the gym, goes to work, and as soon as he’s off gets on the bike, regularly pedaling more than 100 miles a day. He said by the time he’s home and prepped for the next day, it is time to go to bed and do it all over again.

Ayers said none of this would be possible without the support of his wife, Kim Ayers. During the seven days, Kim will be her husband's one-women pit crew following him in an RV, resupplying him with food and water, helping with flat tires and other tuneups, and making sure he has a place to sleep.

As he trained, Ayers said he kept pushing himself through the hardest days by imagining what Hoffman must push through every day of her life.

“Those times when I’m hurting and I think I don’t know if I can do this, I think of what she struggles with on a daily basis,” Ayers said, “and it’s very uplifting to me.”

nmetcalf@durangoherald.com

An earlier version of this story included an incorrect credit for a photo.