In 2010, I (Colin) biked across the country with my friends Alex, Joe, and Brittany to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We did it in memory of two incredible humans: Eric and Lauren Zagorda, who both tragically lost their battles with leukemia.
As we’ve been planning this fundraiser for Nick’s family, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about Eric—and what we did to honor his memory. It’s reminded me just how precious life is.
Eric was one of the smartest and most unique people I’ve ever known. He was always trying something new—whether it was learning to zipline, throwing knives, or teaching himself to play guitar. I still can’t listen to Dispatch without thinking of his laugh or that huge grin he’d get when he was about to try something you knew was a bad idea, but he was going to do it anyway.
I didn’t have the chance to know Lauren personally, but from everything my wife Brittany has told me—since they were close—Lauren was just as smart, kind, and special as Eric. They’ll both always have a place in our hearts and memories.
While writing this, I’ve been going back through the blog we kept during that cross-country trip, and I came across a photo of us biking into Burnt Hills. It reminded me once again how much this community shows up when it matters. I’ll never forget the people who joined us for those final few miles.
We are truly lucky to be part of such a strong and compassionate community. I hope to see many of you at the upcoming Field Day event—it’s only a few days away!
