On September 11, 2001, Rafael Matos was inside the Pentagon when hijackers flew American Airlines Flight 77 into the E ring of the building, reports Andrew Michaels in the Howard County Times. This month, Matos will ride his bicycle 160 miles in 24 continuous hours to raise funds for cancer patients. The “24 Hours of Booty” ride will take place from 2:00pm on Saturday, August 20, 2016 until 2:00pm on Sunday, August 21, 2016. 400 riders are expected.
The ride raises money for the Livestrong Foundation and the Maryland-based Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.
After the attacks, Matos struggled with survivor guilt. Now a psychologist, Matos finds meaning in helping people battle cancer.
‘”I moved forward with a different focus in my life and make every minute count. After that experience that I felt that day, I tell the cancer patients who are going through this fight right now to enjoy every minute because there’s a lot to life that we should be very grateful for and many times we don’t see it that way,” he said.
