To many people, motorcyclists are rebels dressed in black leather. For Gary Maddux, they are simply friends, who have set out to honor his memory and perhaps save a life.

 

A year ago, Maddux was killed on his way home from escorting Medal of Honor recipients. He was coming back from Gainesville on Hwy. 78 outside of Blue Ridge when a truck pulled out and hit him causing fatal injuries.

 

Maddux served in the Patriot Guard, a group of motorcycle riders who attend the funeral services of fallen American heroes as invited guests of the family and often escort fallen soldiers from the airport to the funeral homes and then on to the grave sites.

 

Currently, there are about 190,000 Patriot Guard members throughout the United States.

 

April 3, North East Texas American Bikers Aimed Toward Education (ABATE) riders turned out in force to set out on a trek armed with respect for a fallen comrade and a red cross. More than 150 bikers joined the convoy.

 

“The celebration of my husband brings more awareness to motorcycle riders and the ABATE group,” Rita Maddux, widow of Gary Maddux, said.

 

Maddux, according to his wife, joined the Patriot Guard about a year before his death because he wanted to honor the memory of his father who was a World War II veteran. Maddux himself was a Vietnam veteran.

 

The ABATE group left the Glenn Caraway VFW Post # 7426 in Farmersville with a roar.

 

“It’s a great honor to see all these guys here,” Maddux’s brother, Larry Maddux, said. “I’m amazed.”

 

Larry joined the Patriot Guard shortly before his brother’s death.

 

According to Larry, his brother was a “genuine character who was humorous and always in a good mood.”

 

Unlike white crosses, which are used to represent auto fatalities, red crosses are placed throughout Texas to represent the death of a motorcycle rider and to remind automobile drivers about the fragility of motorcycle riders. The cross was placed at Hwy. 78 and Business 78 in Blue Ridge.

 

“The seed has been planted,” said Mike Grove, an ABATE organizer otherwise known as KOKOMO. “The crosses will save lives.”

 

The first cross placed in the U.S. was near Desert located off of CR 584 and Hwy. 160 in August 2008.

 

Though the day was filled with an air of seriousness, friendship and happiness was celebrated, too. 

 

Organizers of event told riders to park in a single line on the pavement due to the soggy condition of the grass or “otherwise you guys will fall over,” Grove said. 

 

As several riders uttered, “Again?” the riders laughed and prepared to leave for Blue Ridge.

 

Texas ABATE is a non-profit motorcycle rights organization dedicated to freedom of the road for all motorcyclists. The group promotes rider education, motorcycle awareness for all automobile drivers and fights discriminatory legislation aimed toward the motorcycling community.

 

There are ABATE groups is in 38 states and several countries. The red crosses can be found in eight states in the U.S.

 

For more information on ABATE or the Patriot Guard go to www.texasabate.com or to www.patriotguard.org.

 

 

Correction note: The article was edited  Thursday, April 8 due to incorrect information. The ABATE group is located in 38 states and several countries while the red crosses portion has been implemented in eight states. The Times apologizes for the error.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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