In 2009 I met this amazing person after hearing his story and deciding we should start a chapter in Manitoba for Ride For Dad. Over the past decade, this man has inspired me and many others with his determination, courage and a great love for life. He has given countless days and hours each year, getting the RFD message and awareness out there will telling his own story of survival. He is one of the main reasons we all Ride for Dad.

John McNeilly was a founding member of the Edmonton Motorcycle Ride for Dad (“MRFD”) and served as the Co-chair for the first 4 years, and continued as a Director until his death.  He was awarded the Kiwanis Top Cop award in 2009 for his work with and for MRFD.

John served 2 years as the Western Canadian Manager overseeing all rides in Western Canada and was instrumental in starting rides in Didsbury, Vancouver Island, Yellowknife, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg.

John’s quiet style of leadership was respected by all and his sometimes dark, but well-timed humor was sure to set the tone and mood of a meeting.  He never spoke before thinking about his response, and his guidance was sound.  He was involved in not just MRFD, but HOG, Blue Knights, Masons, to name just a few as well as serving 35 years with the Edmonton Police Service.

John started with the Edmonton Police Service in 1977, was promoted to the Drug Unit in 1988, and spent the remainder of his career in plainclothes with the exception of an 18 month period when he was in the Sergeant’s position.  In 1992, John left the Drug Unit to work in a variety of other investigation units. John received a “Police Exemplary Service” medal in February 1998, and a “First Bar” in 2008.  John retired from the Edmonton Police Service on January 25, 2013.

John passed away on March 24, 2020, after a hard battle with lung cancer that spread throughout his body; he was 64 years old.  John will be dearly missed by his family, many friends, coworkers, and associates.

I signed up as a volunteer with Saskatoon’s Ride for Dad, with little knowledge of the group or what prostate cancer was even about. It was a great group, and tho some faces have changed…its still a great group….  I’ve learned so much about prostate cancer, the treatment options, and I enjoy sharing that knowledge with others…

A couple of years after I started with this group, I was myself diagnosed with prostate cancer……  My Urologist said.. “You have a tiny bit of cancer on the right side of your prostate”, and then “We couldn’t have caught it earlier”. Because the cancer was detected early.. I had a wide choice of  treatment options and had a procedure known as brachytherapy where radioactive seeds are inserted in and around the cancerous tissue.  Tho it hasn’t been without a few minor glitches…everything turned out really well, and my PSA today hovers around 0.03

As mentioned earlier…when starting I didn’t know anything about prostate cancer and frankly without the knowledge gained from working with the Ride for Dad group… I probably wouldn’t have bothered having a digital exam or the PSA test….and very likely would have been another very sad victim of something almost 98% successfully treatable when caught early…..

Encouraging others to get checked, talking to other men who’ve been diagnosed, or to groups to educate them on the importance of having regular check-ups, and some of the treatment options out there….That’s where its at for me….

As Ride Captain, I’ve met so so many wonderful and amazing people..  They are Sponsors, Service Club Members, City and Town Employees, other Ride for Dad Volunteers ….and some are Survivors…..  and believe it or not….I have many memories of my interactions with all those amazing people that bring tears to my eyes….  And on top of all that…..just maybe we help save a few lives to……  That’s Why I Ride!

For the first 12 years with The Ride For Dad, I rode my ’86 Harley Davidson FLST Heritage Softail, red and cream

For the last 8 years I have ridden my 2012 Harley Davidson FatBoy Lo, flat black.

My ride 2014 Heritage Softail. Day ride to Carmen, Winkler, Morden, Elm Creek and Oakville. Back to Groose Isle. 350 km.

2012 Yamaha Stryker 

 I’ve only ridden a few bikes, but when you find one that feels right, you know. This bike feels right. The only thing I modified was a seatback -for peace of mind when I have a passenger, particularly my daughter.