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Features
When someone mentions that they belong to a motorcycle group, the image that statement conjures up is not usually pleasant. Violence has unfortunately been linked to a lot of motorcycle clubs, and being involved in one can imply that you’re bad news.But Southwest Louisiana’s Fallen Heroes Riding Group does not fit that stereotype. Its members wear two patches compared to the three that most groups wear, but this particular group separates itself from the typical bike club on a level much higher than just patches. Fallen Heroes is comprised of men and women who enjoy motorcycles, love their country, and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. “The group’s goal is to honor all of our fallen heroes,” Lee Perkins, the group’s president, said. Sergeant at Arms Bobby Hill added that the group honors everyone who has that put their lives on the line for our country, state, and community. “It does not just pertain to people that died in combat,” he said. “We also honor police officers, firefighters, and EMTs, who all work to protect people.” The group was informally organized in 2006, the year 19-year-old Marine PFC Chase Edwards was killed while conducting combat operations in Iraq. Herman Leger had several connections to the young Marine. Edwards graduated from Barbe High School, the same school that Leger’s children attended, and Leger’s three sons were also Marines. With three children in the service, Leger and his wife ran an informal support group for other military parents. One day, the Legers received an e-mail informing them that Edwards had been killed in Iraq. Leger contacted Perkins, a former Marine and the then-Commandant of the Marine Corp League, and they quickly mobilized to provide support for Edwards’ family. As the group waited for the funeral plans to be finalized, there were rumblings about a fanatical preacher from up North who had threatened to come to Lake Charles to protest the funeral. Leger and Perkins, both motorcycle aficionados, wanted to make sure that Edwards’ funeral was not disturbed. So they called on their biker friends to provide an escort for the processional. On the day of the funeral, approximately seven rows of bikes escorted Edwards to his final resting place. Additional bikers met the processional at the Texas line. “I could see motorcycles all across the 210 bridge,” said Bobby Hill, who was driving a truck with a trailer at the end of the procession in case someone broke down. “Riders probably occupied 2 ½ miles of the highway during the procession,” added Perkins. Drew Edwards, the fallen Marine’s father, was so moved by the riders that he bought a bike for himself, turning it into a commemorative motorcycle in honor of his son. In 2007, three months before the one-year anniversary of his son’s death, he approached Leger and Perkins about having a memorial ride. They agreed, and on the first anniversary of Chase Edwards’ passing, bikers came out from near and far for the run. That year’s ride was in “fallen hero” formation, starting from the Cowboy’s Harley Shop in Beaumont and ending with a prayer service at Edwards’ gravesite. In June of 2007, Army Sgt. 1st Class John Hennen of Vinton was killed in Afghanistan at the age of 21. The only son of Susan and Paul Moreno, he was a sniper with the Special Forces embedded with the Marines in the Middle East. Like any mother, Susan Moreno “pitched a fit,” as she described it, when her son informed her that he wanted to join the military. She felt however, that it was her son’s destiny. After boot camp, John went to sniper school, quickly becoming one of the top snipers in the country. “John was quite sneaky, so he was the perfect sniper, “she said. The loss of their only child devastated the Morenos. “He told me, at three years of age, that he wanted to be buried in the old Civil War Cemetery in Nibletts Bluff, and that’s where he now rests,” Moreno said. About a year after their son’s death, Lee Perkins invited them to join the upcoming Chase Edwards’s Memorial Bike Run. The Morenos participated in that year’s ride, finding another vehicle for John’s legacy to perpetuate. Over 110 bikers participated in the 2008 Chase Edwards Memorial Ride. That year, the group raised a good amount of money, and were able to donate $5,000 to the Fisher House, a facility that provides free housing for families of servicemen and women, so that they can be close to their loved one during hospitalization for an unexpected illness or injury. In 2009, the Chase Edwards Memorial Bike run was renamed the “Fallen Heroes Bike Run,” to honor all fallen heroes. The event was another success, and the group was able to make a donation to the War Veterans Home in Jennings. The same year, the Fallen Heroes Riding Group was officially organized. Lee Perkins serves as president; Herman Leger, vice president; Bobby Hill, sergeant at arms; Jason Hiem, scribe; and Mike Guidry, paymaster. The ride now also raises funds to benefit all American heroes, along with fallen heroes and their families. Proceeds from the 2010 ride will be used to purchase bricks at the Veterans’ Park in Lake Charles. Each brick will contain the name of a fallen hero from the area to honor his, or her, sacrifice for our country. Funds are also used to help with hospitality for families of fallen heroes in any way possible. “Taking care of the families of our fallen soldiers is another way we honor our fallen heroes,” states Leger. “The families share in the sacrifice of our heroes. It is our responsibility to assist them in any way possible.” The Fallen Heroes Riding Group currently has over 25 members. Membership is open to everyone. Although most members ride Harleys, the group is comprised of a mixture of riders and non-riders. That’s right, this motorcycle group does not require its members to own or ride a bike. “The only requirement we have is that members share in the respect and passion of honoring all fallen heroes,” Perkins said. As Susan Moreno aptly states, “You may not support the war, but always support the warrior.” A tightly knit group, the members’ lives revolve around making sure the legacy of our fallen military stays ingrained in people’s hearts and minds. The group meets regularly at Mike McVey’s Mary’s Lounge on Broad Street for drinks and to discuss their programs and projects. Afterwards, they often go next door to Mac’s, which boasts some of the best crawfish in the area, to continue their evening. “This is my life. My son made my life for me,” Moreno said. The Fallen Heroes Riding Group will always draw attention whenever they ride out. This attention is used to highlight a higher purpose: the purpose of lifting up the fallen—those who gave their lives so that we may continue to enjoy the freedom that we currently have. The members give so selflessly of their time that it seems to me that those they honor aren’t the only heroes. For more information about The Fallen Heroes Riding Group, check out www.swlafallenheroes.com. 
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