Our Stories


Making the Ride a Little Easier for Everyone

May 20, 2022

Making the Ride a Little Easier for Everyone

Naomi and Junsay heard the word autism for the first time when their son Isaiah was diagnosed at age three.

“We had no idea what that meant for him, for our family, we didn’t know how to help him,” said Naomi.

This is when the Mateo family was first introduced to St.Amant and the Autism Program – something that changed their lives forever.

“I wish I would have taken a before and after video of Isaiah, he’s five now.  The changes are amazing, and not only for him, for me and my husband, we’ve learned so much about Isaiah and how we can help him thrive.”

The Mateo family didn’t know how to express their gratitude until they heard about the Autism Ride.

“Junsay has an interest in motorcycles but never really rode. When he heard there was a fundraiser that was going to support the program that changed his son’s life, he was in. He was so excited to be able to mix two things that he loves together.”

Junsay went for the longest ride of his life last September and he got his buddies to come along! Team Isaiah, with Junsay at the helm,  was the top fundraiser for the event.

“He was so sore after the ride! But he was also so excited, he had never been part of a motorcycle ride like this before!”

“As parents of a kid with autism, we know how hard it can be, we wanted to get involved to try and make things a little easier for the next family who is hearing the word autism for the first time.”

Making the Ride a Little Easier for Everyone

Buying a raffle ticket and joining the ride helps make the journey a little easier for kids like Isaiah.
The St.Amant Autism Ride welcomes all riders, new and veteran, to support a great cause! It’s the perfect opportunity to test your motorcycle skills and maybe even stretch past your comfort zone with a group of community-minded riders out there for a good time. Great people, good food, and amazing prizes to raise money for an important cause are the recipe for a fun day.

JUNE 11 UPDATE: Nearly $80,000 was raised from this year’s Autism Ride & Raffle. Proceeds will purchase the necessary tools children with autism need to give them the best chance to succeed in kindergarten – from smartboards, computers, iPads with specialized apps, toys, and much more!