NEWSPAPERS n o i t i d E l a i c e p S
Local bike riders ready to ride to Washington to raise money, awareness for ALS BY MIKE KOURY mkoury@candgnews.com
METRO DETROIT — Two metro Detroiters will test their limits by riding bicycles to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness and money to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Mike DeLorenzo, of Romeo, and Thomas Henry, of Ferndale, will be participating in Pedal4ALS, a more than 500-mile bike ride June 20-30 that will raise money for ALS of Michigan. Raising awareness to fight ALS is a personal fight for DeLorenzo, as he has seen firsthand how the disease afflicted someone he loves. His father-in-law, Thomas Schippert, was diagnosed with ALS in 2015. DeLorenzo and his wife, Rebecca, were his caregivers for the next four years until his death in 2019. “It hits close to home when you lose a loved one to the disease, and unfortunately ALS is a death sentence,” DeLorenzo said. “There is no cure for it. The average person lives about two years. So we felt blessed having my father-in-law live four years, but some people aren’t as fortunate.” After Schippert’s passing, DeLorenzo took Schippert’s ashes and rode a bike to places that his father-in-law never got to see, such as the Olympic flame in Squaw Valley and Yosemite National Park, and spread them there. DeLorenzo decided to raise funds while doing so and was able to raise around $3,000 for charity during that ride. The following year, he rode his bike from the Upper Peninsula to Detroit and raised $7,000. “During that time period from 2015 to 2019, (ALS of Michigan was) instrumental in playing a role and keeping him comfortSee ALS on page 8A
JUNE 12, 2024 candgnews.com
Oakland County papers
Troy High School senior earns 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholar recognition BY SARAH WRIGHT swright@candgnews.com
Thomas Henry and Mike DeLorenzo will be partaking in a more than 500-mile bike ride as part of Pedal4ALS to raise money for ALS of Michigan. Photo provided by Mike DeLorenzo
TROY — Aanya Shah, a senior at Troy High School, has been announced as one of the many students in 2024 to be named U.S. Presidential Scholars by the U.S. Department of Education. Created in 1964, the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program has honored over 8,200 of the nation’s top-performing students. 2024 is the program’s 60th anniversary. The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects scholars annually based on academic success, excellence in the arts and in technical education, through essays, Aanya Shah school evaluations and transcripts, as well as a demonstrated commitment to community service and leadership. The 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars comprise two students from each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and U.S. families living abroad, as well as 15 chosen at large, 20 scholars in the arts, and 20 scholars in career and technical education. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced the 2024 winners and recognized 161 high school seniors. Shah is one of three Michigan scholars chosen, See SHAH on page 11A