Marines ride motorcycles, raise money for fallen, injured first responders

MILWAUKEE - Two Marine veterans are on a journey of a lifetime – riding their motorcycles across the country to raise money for families of fallen and injured first responders. They stopped in Milwaukee on Thursday, June 8.

Seventeen days ago, Bob Gault and Dan Halpern embarked on a life-changing ride. 

"As we’ve gone, we’ve been fed, we’ve been appreciated, hugged," said Halpern.

In a total of 32 days, the two Marine veterans are making their way to all four corners of the U.S. – covering about 12,000 miles on their motorcycles. 

"It’s emotional sometimes, but we are proud to be able to do what we are doing," Gault said.

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They are proud of the reason behind their ride. 

"We thought it would be important if we could do it for a charity," Halpern said. "Tunnel to Towers is an organization that helps first responders and military personnel, or sadly, killed in the line of duty."

Together, they have raised around $17,000, collecting donations from communities state to state. 

"We’re blessed. We’re healthy. And, just to do the donation, you know, it just gets to me," Gault said. 

But is not just people's generosity that has touched them.

"The stories that they’ve shared along the way are, uh, great," Halpern said. 

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It is hearing experiences firsthand. 

"We’ve talked to folks impacted by 9/11, we’ve talked to personnel that lost family members in the line of duty, whether it was first responder or military," Halpern said. 

And meeting the people the foundation benefits. 

The Marine veterans' goal is to raise $50,000. They are not bound for Ohio.