If you’re in town and available we’d like to extend an invite to all to come join us for the closing ceremony of Adrian Rosales triathlon journey that has taken him from the Bay Area to San Diego. Adrian has been on a two week triathlon trek down the state in support of Adult Stem Cell Research. Adrian is an Air Force Veteran with MS, which makes this journey especially exceptional. The closing ceremony is scheduled to take place atop Mount Soledad at approximately 5pm.
You may visit http://www.avca-usa.org/blog/ to read about Adrian’s journey and for more information.
Below is a bit about Adrian from his press release for this journey - Operation: In God We Trust.
U.S.** Military Veteran with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) doing a 500+ mile Triathlon to raise funds and public awareness for Adult Stem Cell Research.** ** **
Newport Beach**, CA. - 09 July 2007 - **Adrian Rosales, 46 of Ventura, CA. has completed his eleventh day of a combined total of 519.37 miles of swimming, biking and running in Newport Beach, CA. His mission began on Monday, 25 June 2007 at Folsom Lake, in Folsom, CA. and he is headed to the cross atop Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in La Jolla, CA. 13 miles north of San Diego.
He was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in May of 2003. He and his wife Erin have seven children ranging in ages from 16 years to 19 months old.
The event has been dubbed OPERATION - IN GOD WE TRUST, and is a triathlon with daily combinations and distances of swim, bike and run. It has included various locations throughout the state that began on Monday, 25 June 2007 outside Sacramento and expected to end Tuesday, 10 July 2007 atop Mount Soledad with a small closing ceremony.
In the current debate over federal funding of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, which many Americans believe is an unethical practice because it destroys nascent Human Life, his goals are to raise public awareness about the successes with Adult Stem Cell Research and current treatments, and to help raise donations for various research groups and centers currently having success in research and treatments. Donations can be made by visiting the website at www.avca-usa.org/asc.
An additional objective is to bring to the attention of the American public that frozen embryos do not need to be discarded, there is the life-giving option of frozen embryo adoption. See www.avca-usa.org/asc for details.
His final day will end at Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial where a federal law suit has been filed to tear down the cross at the veterans memorial site. “It is a slap on the face to the men and women in uniform who hold sincere their faith, and to their family’s, or of the individuals of any religious persuasion, who have sacrificed so much for their country, to be told that their faith symbols should be torn down from the land they have defended.”
The event is being supported by a crew that includes a retired U.S. Navy veteran, two of Mr. Rosales’ five sons, and a fellow parishioner in the first week of the event, and various members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes – FCA Endurance based out of Burnsville, MN. in the second week. *“It is a unique alliance consisting of Evangelical and Catholic faith groups coming together for the common cause of advancing Adult Stem Cell Research,” *states Mr. Rosales. *“I am looking forward to being joined by some Marines, other veterans and FCA members the last two days of the event.” *
One of his personal goals the first week was to swim across the San Francisco Bay, a 2.38 mile challenge he successfully completed in 1 hour 38 minutes from Red Rock southeast of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge near Point Richmond to Paradise Cay, a private residential area on the Tiburon Peninsula. He is possibly the first known person to swim this course across the bay, a course which required US Coast Guard approval and an escort vessel.
Mr. Rosales will begin his twelfth day at 8:00 am, Monday 09 July 2007 with a 1 mile swim on the north side of the Newport Pier out and back followed by an approximate 45-50 mile bike to Oceanside, and end with a 6 mile run within the city limits of Oceanside before going on to San Diego/La Jolla on Tuesday the 10th. The final day will begin at 8:00 am with a 1 mile ocean swim around Oceanside Pier and then a bike to San Diego/La Jolla with and then a 4 mile jog up to Mount Soledad. He is anticipated to arrive at Mount Soledad between 4 and 5 pm. Please call Mike Murphy for up to date locations and arrival times and Jennifer Irrgang/Greg Price for closing service at Mount Soledad. Military members and veterans are encouraged to attend the closing service. General public is invited as well.
Mr. Rosales served as an enlisted non-commissioned officer with the 146TH Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron from 1986 to 1992, based at the Channel Islands Air National Guard Base located adjacent to Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu, CA. As a flight medic crewmember serving in C-130 Hercules and C-141 Starlifter aircraft, he attained the rank of Technical Sergeant (E-6) and Aeromedical Flight Instructor by the time of his departure from military service. Activated in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm with orders for 2 years active duty, he never served in the theater of operations due to, in his words “the unexpected and unselfish act of a brother squadron member”. After completing his initial term of enlistment, he was honorably discharged from military service in 1992, and standby reserve in 1994 with various awards, decorations and medals.