“L.A.R.R.Y’S (Look Around Ride 2 Reduce RIsk Yield For Motorcycles & Save A Life) RIDE:
This is LOVETAGS way to address Men’s Mental Health & Motorcylce Awareness. This year LOVETAGS has the priviledge to partner with a few community partners who share similar missions such as Stevenson & Klotz Injury Lawyers Cycle Gear, & Harley Davidson. This will be our 2nd annual ride dedicated in honor of Larry Rice Sr, the baby brother of our secretary Sonjanique Smith. Many will never understand the unspoken pain that one carries in their heart daily while still smiling and bringing so much laughter and joy to others; as he is explained by his coworker’s at Pensacola’s Airport; Larry was a gentle giant who was fun to be around and made our day. Yet, Larry still dealt with the pain of losing his father figure & best friend his grandfather Bud 5 years prior to a tragic car accident. Larry dealt with the pain silently believing so many of the stigmas of mental health such as “Men don’t cry or show their feelings” and “Men has to always be strong” leaving him to only speak and be vulnerable to very few people about his heartache & bouts of depression and unfortunately only a few people would even notice his changes and battle to regain strength. On his rough days, you could sometimes hear him in the breakroom ironically singing Jesse Howard– “The little boy and the Preacher man” where in the lyrics he says “Is Heaven real?” ‘Cause I can’t wait to go. I can’t wait to see how heaven feels. Is there a place where there’s no more pain or dying; no more need for crying cause I can’t wait… Is Heaven a real place?” Conciendently, similar to his grandfather Larry got his chance when he seen that checkered flag waving and he decided to cross the finish line. Larry took his final ride exactly one week after his 32nd birthday on 02/13/22 (Super Bowl LVI Sunday) while riding his motorcylce to a friend’s house to watch Super Bowl LVI; his ride was cut short when a driver decided that she could turn quickly in front of him not realizing that her decision/turn would soon change many lives forever which is why today is important. Larry was a commited father, son, brother, uncle, and friend who leaves a host of family & friends to cherish his memories including his dedicated Biker Club (L.O.D) family yet, their was one person we all know he will miss the absolute most that was his pride & joy, his only son and his namesake Larry Rice Jr (LJ).