Rider Starts An 800 Mile Trip On Horseback

Correspondent

Quinlan resident Lloyd Powell was concerned about the plight of a West Tawakoni friend’s child.

The child has endured multiple surgeries and treatments for tumors that threaten his life. Powell, a long time friend of the Petrea family, began the first long-distance horseback ride of his life on Friday to support the effort to assist cancer patients.

Mike Petrea of West Tawakoni has a grandson, Andrew Petrea, who was diagnosed on Sept. 16, 2006, at the age of 3, with reoccurring Ependymoma tumors (brain and spine tumors).

Andrew has spent the last two years enduring chemotherapy, radiation, one cyber-knife treatment and 10 different operations. Andrew is currently on a five-drug regimen that consists of three chemo and two additional drugs.

Mike Petrea said, "I was led by God to start an organization that would help families financially, while getting treatment for their children who have been diagnosed with cancer and reoccurring tumors."

He also said that he has watched his daughter and son-in-law struggle with the hidden costs of having a child that is ill and requires continuing treatment. Petrea sought to help other families with a way to assist with a "Pay It Forward" program that will provide co-pays for gasoline, lost wages and other expenses that may not be covered by insurance.

Petrea also said, "We have been assisted by people and organizations for the care and treatment of my grandson and I want to help other families. We may not be able to help everyone, but we can help one family at a time."

Powell began his ride on Farm-to-Market Road 36 near Quinlan, and will offer T-shirts that support the cause on an approximate 400-mile journey to Baton Rouge, La., and a return on a different and yet unannounced path.

Powell started the journey on the back of a palomino named "Skippy" and was accompanied by his grandson Travis Wayne Powell, 13, on the back of a sorrel, "Diesel," for the first day’s journey.

Lloyd Powell said, "I will ride without a packhorse or support and will take a single set of spare clothes and a lot of underwear, and will stop at a ranch or barn to ask for an overnight stay at end of each evenings ride."

Powell also said that he expected to travel about 18 miles for the first day with his grandson and that he hoped to travel about 25 miles each day during the rest of the trip.

"My horse doesn’t like to cross water, but he is fine with car traffic and I guess that we will learn a lot about each other during the trip," he said.

A new Web site has been established at www.andrewmanministries.org and donations may be made at this site.

Additional information on Andrew’s condition may be obtained at www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewpetrea.