A Ride
to Honor
Dad
Families, friends ride together to Defeat ALS
The first-ever 2025 Ride to Defeat ALS took place in Wimberley last weekend, bringing together the families and friends of people living with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, most commonly strikes middle-aged adults and affects the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord.
Riding the 10-mile Willow Lake loop on Saturday were Dylan and Grace Byrne and their great aunt Josolyn Nelson. Dylan and Grace are the children of former Wimberley Councilmember Christine Byrne, who resigned her position on the city council in 2023 because her husband James was diagnosed with ALS. After two decades in Wimberley, Christine and James moved to upper state New York, an area they love, where their oldest son Ian and Jim’s extended family live.
After his diagnosis, James retired from his work as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in San Antonio as a result of learning he had the disease.
Grace and brother Dylan learned about the 2025 Ride to Defeat ALS from their great-aunt Josolyn Nelson, who learned about it in January. In two short months, the siblings raised more than $11,000 in pledges.
Riding for Dad. Grace, Dylan and Josolyn with the poster of James.
At the starting line, Josolyn Nelson, left, Grace Byrne and Dylan Byrne.
