Nathan

Gehris

Smiling toddler with cake and frosting on face and hands, sitting in high chair with messy cake all around.

In 2019, we had the honor of riding for Nathan Gehris

“Nathan will not be the last child to face a life-threatening illness, and my family will not be the last to navigate a frightening cancer diagnosis. My 20th Courage Classic is both a personal challenge and an opportunity to support positive outcomes for kids and families who need Children’s Colorado."

-Bernie Gehris, 2019

From “The Face of an Angel” by Raven

I will hold on to my love
And my passions with grace
And when I lose grip
I will picture your face

The face of an angel
That came to my side
To brighten my heart
And made the darkness subside

A young child lying in a hospital bed, wrapped in a colorful blanket, looking at the camera with a calm expression.
A young child with short hair and a big smile, wearing a long sleeve shirt and overalls, sitting behind a cardboard box in a room with a wooden bed frame in the background.

In Loving Memory of Nathan Gehris

My son

May 6, 1991 - March 8, 1993

“Today is Nathan’s 34th birthday. He’s not been with us for 32 years. Again I ride my bicycle to raise funds for Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Cancer Center and again I humbly ask for your donation to help the cancer center and honor Nathan’s memory.”
- Bernie Gehris, 2025

The needs of the hospital’s oncology center go on. 47 children are diagnosed with cancer in the United States every day.

So I continue to ride to honor the memory of my son Nathan and other friends’ children like Martha, Delaney, Trevor, Koby, Hazel, Fynn, Jared, Tanner, Cooper, Will and Morgan – all lost to this awful disease.

So I ride because you keep donating.

So I ride to bring the world a step closer to ending all forms of childhood cancer. Every dollar raised by me and my team (Wheels of Justice) goes straight to the Children's Hospital Colorado Cancer Center. All children deserve to achieve their greatest potential. And every parent deserves to see each of their children grow up.

So I ride up to 120 miles on July 19th and 20th over mountain passes in my 25th Courage Classic, at the age of 69.

Bernie has not missed a Courage Classic since his first in 1999.

I ride because you keep donating - I ride to bring the world a step closer to ending all forms of childhood cancer. I ride so other parents will never know what if feels like to lose a child. Every dollar raised by me (and my team) goes straight to the Children's Hospital Colorado Cancer Center. All children deserve to achieve their greatest potential. Every parent deserves to see each of their children grow up.

A young child with brown hair, smiling brightly, wearing a white shirt with colorful accents, sitting indoors.
A young child smiling while sitting on a tricycle, wearing a Mickey Mouse sweatshirt with a cowboy hat and lasso graphic.
A baby with a make-up face and a headband, with a yellow awareness ribbon and the words 'Go Gold for Childhood Cancer Awareness'

Bernie & teammates Nadine & Regina were interviewed on 9News to tell us about the Courage Classic:

9NEWS interview in 2019

Vail Pass next

“There is a wisdom that is woe; but there is a woe that is madness. And there is a Catskill eagle in some souls that can alike dive down into the blackest gorges, and soar out of them again and become invisible in the sunny spaces. And even if he forever flies within the gorge, that gorge is in the mountains; so that even in his lowest swoop the mountain eagle is still higher than other birds upon the plain, even though they soar.”

- Herman Melville, Moby Dick.

Nathan’s Jersey

It tells the story of Nathan and his two sisters Allie & Amanda (the Train, the Fox and the Rocket). The jersey is full of intention, love and thought, inspired through watercolor art and with the hopes of being a jersey kids and adults can both love.

Nathan passed just before his 2nd birthday, as a tiny boy Nathan absolutely loved trains. He loved his Christmas train that would go round and round and round the tree and he would watch it in awe and joy. The train had to make it on the jersey.

When thinking up the jersey design, Sunday night in Copper Mountain, Amber Dunlap told Bernie that she had always wanted a Rocketship on a jersey. What could be more fun to little kids, and Nathan’s sister, Allie, is an engineer at SpaceX. Nathan’s 2nd sister Amanda, has always felt kinship towards foxes, so we added the fox in the train and designed the mountain to look like a fox (who maybe looks like a wolf but the intention was there). Bernie’s hidden meanings didn’t stop there, as the Wheels rider is always depicted pulling a Children’s Hospital Red Wagon, we decided to add a second wagon to this jersey. This wagon is for Morgan, of the Morgan Adams Foundation. Bernie felt Nathan and Morgan could be on this ride together, so proud of their parents for continuing to fight. Lastly, the stars on the sleeves and the colors were inspired by Nathan’s sunglasses in the photo below.

A young child wearing pink star-shaped sunglasses and a white shirt with colorful details. The child is smiling and looking at the camera.
A purple teddy bear with a blue ribbon sits in a red wooden cart on a model train track, next to a decorated Christmas tree with green and red decorations, on a wooden surface with tangled wires in the background.

Bernie’s Courage Classic Story

A smiling young child with short brown hair, missing a front tooth, wearing a white shirt, in a playful mood.
Designs for a cycling jersey featuring purple, pink, and blue space and rocket themes. The front displays a "Wheels" logo, and the back shows a rocket with a mascot inside, supporting a children's hospital. Side panels include embroidery in memory of Nathan Gehrs. The collar has a pink pattern with stars, and the jersey has sponsor logos.

Bernie’s Courage Classics 1999-present

  • Man riding a road bicycle on a winding mountain road surrounded by forest and mountains, wearing a red helmet, sunglasses, and a bright yellow jacket.

    Martha Riedel

    2025

  • Three people in cycling gear with helmets and sunglasses standing with their bikes next to a sign that reads "Loveland Pass, Elevation 11,990 ft., Continental Divide," in a mountainous area under a clear blue sky.

    Will Maniatis

    2024

  • A man wearing a colorful cycling jersey, black shorts, a red helmet, and sunglasses riding a road bike through a finish line at a cycling event in a mountain town with buildings, trees, and blue sky.

    Trevor Kling

    2023

  • Large group of people, including children and adults, posing outdoors on a staircase with trees and mountains in the background, all wearing matching blue and purple jerseys for the Wheels of Justice event at the Courage Classic.

    Cooper Deming

    2022

  • Three smiling women wearing matching yellow, blue, and white cycling jerseys outdoors on a sunny day, with trees and houses in the background.

    Koby Gruenwald

    2021 - Tour De Koby

  • Man in cycling gear standing beside a red road bike with a woman in a Wonder Woman-themed costume standing nearby, outdoors in a grassy area near a bridge.

    2020 - Virtual

    COVID led 2020 to be a virtual Courage Classic, but that didn’t stop Bernie from being at Top 100 - Fundraiser

  • Three men in cycling gear standing with bicycles in a parking lot, wearing colorful matching jerseys, sunglasses, and helmets, with trees and mountains in the background.

    Nathan Gehris - Bernie's Son

    2019

  • A person riding a bicycle on a paved pathway in a park or outdoor shopping area with colorful balloons hanging in the background.

    Fynn Cox

    2018

  • A woman in a brightly colored cycling jersey standing outdoors on a sunny day, smiling with hands on her hips, with parked vehicles and other people in the background.

    Jared Lujan

    2017

  • An older man riding a red and black road bicycle on a paved path outdoors, wearing a green and white cycling jersey, black shorts, gray knee-high socks, white cycling shoes, gloves, sunglasses, and a red, white, and black helmet. There are trees and a grassy landscape in the background.

    Delaney Goodner

    2016

  • A man in cycling gear standing with a red road bike on a gravel path in a park. He is wearing a helmet, sunglasses, and a colorful cycling jersey with a landscape scene. There are trees and a white house in the background.

    Hazel Sievers

    2015

  • A person wearing a helmet and athletic cycling clothing standing with a red road bike near a lake, mountains, and greenery in the background.

    Top 34 Fundraiser

    2013

  • A smiling man in cycling gear standing next to a red road bike on an outdoor patio with a cityscape in the background.

    REI Training Ride

    2012

  • Three smiling cyclists in biking gear, standing outdoors with trees, a road, and a pickup truck in the background.

    Bernie & The Scotts

    2011

  • A man smiling at the camera at the summit of Mt. Elbert, holding a paper that states 'Mt. Elbert 14,433' and 'Highest peak in Colorado' with mountainous terrain in the background.

    Mt Elbert

    2010

  • A man dressed in a cycling jersey and shorts, wearing a helmet, standing outdoors at night with a red road bike, smiling at the camera.

    Morgan Adams Jersey!

    2009

This one's 4 Nathan

This one's 4 Nathan

Colorado license plate with the customization '4NA THAN', featuring a snowy mountain range background; text reads 'CURE CHILDHOOD CANCER' at the bottom.