Pedaling Through Pain: The Guidrys' Mission to Reclaim Lives

A Dark Moment, A New Path

The flickering fluorescent lights of a psychiatric unit often signal a nadir, a place where life's burdens feel insurmountable. For Air Force veterans Peter and Kelley Guidry, this shared experience, though months apart in 2011 at Mike O’Callaghan Military Medical Center, became a defining moment. Both found themselves grappling with profound struggles, searching not for an end to life, but a reprieve from unrelenting pain. "I was not looking for a way out of life—I was desperately looking for a way out of the pain," Peter recalls, reflecting on the arduous journey that ultimately forged their life's mission.

This personal battle led Peter to the VA’s War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, where a recumbent trike was suggested as a therapeutic avenue to regain activity despite his disabilities. The insight sparked a realization for both Peter and Kelley, but the local VA wouldn't cover the specialized equipment. Undeterred, they took out a personal loan, purchasing their first two recumbent trikes in September 2013. The relief was immediate. The pain lingered, but they had found a way to move, to be outside, and to begin transcending their limitations rather than being defined by them. This personal triumph ignited a profound conviction: other veterans deserved this chance.

The Veteran Trike Brigade

From their shared experience, Forgotten Not Gone was born. Founded in 2013 by the Guidrys, the North Las Vegas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit addresses the critical needs of veterans and active-duty service members who grapple with isolation, chronic pain, loss of purpose, and the invisible scars of service. Their unique approach centers on the Veteran Trike Brigade and the Women Warriors program, leveraging adaptive recumbent trikes, electric-assist trikes, and outdoor recreation to foster community and peer support.

Instead of conventional therapy sessions, the Guidrys believed in the power of shared experience in motion. "We get them outside, moving, riding beside other veterans and reconnecting naturally," Peter explains. Many of the most profound breakthroughs occur not in an office, but on a ride through the landscapes of Las Vegas. Their mission, unequivocal and urgent, is to be "Stomping Out Veteran Suicide!" They understand that prevention is proactive, beginning long before a crisis erupts. Sometimes, it simply means getting a veteran out of the house, placing them alongside a fellow service member, and reminding them of their enduring place within a team.

More Than Equipment: Showing Up

The community Forgotten Not Gone serves extends across Southern Nevada, encompassing disabled, senior, and chronic pain veterans, as well as active-duty personnel at Nellis and Creech Air Force Bases. These individuals, often weary of being spoken at, crave genuine connection and presence. "What many of them need from us is not another person talking at them or telling them how they should feel. They need somebody willing to listen, show up and stay present," Peter emphasizes. True veteran peer support, in their philosophy, isn't about claiming to understand every experience, but about walking alongside, caring enough to listen, and demonstrating that no one has to face their battles alone.

The philosophy extends to practical, physical support. The Guidrys don't merely hand a trike to a veteran and wish them luck. They ride with them. Road Guards accompany groups, offering support for flats, equipment issues, or simply a helping hand when a veteran needs to get back on their feet. This steadfast presence was powerfully illustrated by a Marine veteran who reached out during a crisis in 2014. Peter met him in the middle of the night, and they rode. Twelve years later, Peter and Kelley reunited with the same veteran in Virginia, riding the Capital Trail. Though he had the equipment and lived nearby, a mental barrier had kept him from riding it. "Having us physically there with him was what helped him get past that barrier," he later shared, inspiring Peter and Kelley with the profound impact of simply showing up.

A Permanent Home, A Lasting Legacy

For Peter and Kelley Guidry, success has evolved. Initially, it was about personal survival, navigating their own pain. Today, it’s witnessing another veteran reclaim their life, seeing the isolated reconnect, or watching a disabled veteran regain mobility and confidence. Their ambition extends beyond individual moments of triumph. They are actively working towards securing a permanent home: the Fort Forgotten Not Gone Healing and Wellness Center. This dedicated space will consolidate adaptive recreation, veteran peer support, and wellness resources, ensuring the Veteran Trike Brigade can continue its critical work for generations.

While the Guidrys have carried the mission for over a decade, their vision is to build an organization that can thrive independently of its founders. Strengthening the model in Las Vegas is paramount, with future plans to expand into other communities, particularly those with large veteran populations like Washington, D.C. and Virginia. Their journey from personal struggle to profound purpose underscores a powerful truth: "Some of the work that matters most takes years before you can see the fruits of your labor." By consistently showing up, one pedal stroke and one veteran at a time, Peter and Kelley Guidry are building a legacy of healing and hope, ensuring that no veteran is ever truly forgotten.