Hero's welcome for Gaz as he stops off in Shrewsbury on epic ride
A Shrewsbury lad with terminal cancer who is cycling the length of the country for charity had a hero's welcome when he stopped off in his home town.
Gaz Emmerson, 28, is riding from Land's End to John O'Groats for Sarcoma UK, and powered into town on day four of his epic 10-day ride.
Family and friends were waiting for him at the Lion Hotel in Wyle Cop to cheer him on and give him a major boost ahead of the second half of his challenge.
"It was lovely, the whole ride has been really good so far. The weather has been great.
"Everyone was really excited so it'll help push me along."
The group enjoyed a barbecue at the River View Cafe in The Parade shopping centre, which also raised more money for the charity. Gaz has currently raised about £74,000.
He has Ewing's Sarcoma, a rare form of bone and tissue cancer which primarily affects teenagers and young adults, first being diagnosed at the age of just 21.
Over the past seven years, he's beaten cancer three times, but each time it has returned more aggressively and spread to different parts of his body. In November last year, he found out it was back for a fourth time, now in his lungs, lymph nodes and brain, and his diagnosis became terminal.
But rather than dwell on the news, he wrote a bucket list, including the cycling challenge.
The plan is to complete the cycling fundraiser, before marrying his childhood sweetheart Zoe, who he's been with since his mid teens, in July. Gaz also wants to travel to China, Argentina and Brazil, which he hopes to do when the pandemic situation allows.
To get behind Gaz's fundraising visit justgiving.com/fundraising/teamgazemmerson
