Motorcycle ride raises money for Parkinson’s disease research

The third annual Doolin Dalton Awareness motorcycle ride was held this past Saturday in honor of Parkinson’s disease research. 

The ride began at ONE Church in downtown Seneca and concluded at Aunt Sue’s Country Corner in Pickens. Along the way, bikers stopped for a special moment — a photo with Warren Bright. 

Bright, the uncle of Sherri Higham, is currently battling Parkinson’s disease. Higham is the mother of Dalton Nichols, Higham’s late son who was killed in an accident on his motorcycle near Anderson when he was hit by a driver who didn’t see him. Before his death in 2021, Nichols had been performing random acts of kindness — helping a homeless man back on his feet, donating to a child who needed heart surgery and he’d been helping people find faith in Jesus Christ. 

In an interview with The Journal in 2022, Higham said her son knew struggling on a personal level, battling anxiety and depression for years but later finding peace and faith with his motorcycle and a Christian-based motorcycle club called the Sons of the Savior, Redeemed Chapter. 

Higham spoke more about Nichols on Tuesday and why they chose to honor him through the ride.

“We felt like we needed to do something in his memory because in the last year of his life, he came so far as a person,” she said. “Even before his life changed, he would give and serve others in silence. He didn’t have to have a big show. We found out so much after he passed the people he was privately helping.”

The ride

While the Doolin Dalton Awareness motorcycle ride is named in Nichols’ memory, it also looks to channel a collective effort into a meaningful action. 

Forty-eight bikes participated in Saturday’s ride, coming together for one cause. 

“The ride was not about who you are, the color of your skin, your bike preference or even your social status,” Higham said. “It was a ride of comradery. Our community came out and supported a common goal with a servant’s heart.” 

Several years ago, Higham and her husband were looking on Facebook Marketplace and came across a motorcycle — a “beautiful Harley,” according to Higham. 

Higham said she told her husband he needed to see the bike, and it turned out to be her uncle selling the motorcycle. 

“His Parkinson’s had gotten to a point that he had lost his ability to ride. My husband cranked it up and he knew right then that he was going to buy the bike,” Higham said. “That was the last thing that (Bright) actually gave up. That was his baby and it was very hard to give the bike up.”

A few weeks ago, Bright’s wife, Susan, reached out to Higham and asked if they’d stop by and let Warren see his old bike. At the time, Higham said she was still unsure what this year’s ride fundraiser would be — but not for long, as Higham and her husband decided to raise money for Parkinson’s disease research through the Michael J. Fox Foundation. So far, the group has raised nearly $3,000.

“After she called, it was just like God set that in our hands,” Higham said. 

Along the ride, the group made that aforementioned stop at Bright’s home. 

“When I got there, all the bikes were already there and I was at the end. When I walked up, it was just unbelievable because all the bikers were already off their bikes and they didn’t just go there and stand behind him — every one of them went up directly to him and shook his hand,” Higham said. “It was just very much a blessing.”

“I saw a neighborhood, family and friends show up for a man that they love and respect as he continues to fight Parkinson’s.”

The group’s final stop at Aunt Sue’s Country Corner in Pickens resulted in something that Higham said Nichols “would have loved.” Higham chose the restaurant because it was one of the family’s first stops they made when Nichols completed his first 100 miles on his bike.  

“As we reached our destination, I witnessed bikers eating lunch together and getting to know each other. As I observed, I noticed they did not pass judgment but showed kindness and respect for one another,” Higham said. “They went out of their comfort zone to make others feel welcomed. It was such a blessing to see this. I thought about how Dalton would have loved this because he was that type of person. He never judged and had a servant’s heart.”