Des Moines man using adaptive bike to ride in RAGBRAI

By KCCI Staff

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A Des Moines man will be riding in a portion of RAGBRAI on Wednesday thanks to a special set of wheels.

Quincy Hostager was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy that has left him non-verbal and unable to move without the assistance of a wheelchair or other device.

“He also has autism and some other things. He was fairly normally developing; but around two, he kind of had a setback where he had to learn to walk again and was having a lot of seizures and lost all his verbal skills,” Dan Hostager, Quincy’s dad, said.

Quincy is 21 years old now, and he graduated from high school in the spring. He enjoys outdoor activities like swimming and biking. When he was 17 years old, he received a gift from Make-A-Wish Foundation that allowed him to enjoy these hobbies to the fullest extent possible.

“We know he loves being outside and on the bike,” Dan said. “It worked out to where we could get a gift that he could enjoy for years to come.”

The gift: an adaptive bike that allowed Quincy to bike with his family.

The adaptive bike has a place for Quincy to sit in the front as his dad pedals behind him. The bike can also convert into a wheelchair.

“It’s great,” Dan said. “It’s kind of been a game changer because my wife and I are both avid cyclists.”

Dan and his wife, Maria La France, met on RAGBRAI. This year, they get to share their love for RAGBRAI with their son. Quincy will be riding for a portion of the route from Ames to Des Moines on Wednesday with his dad right behind him.

Family and friends will be there to cheer Quincy on and ride alongside him. Team Quincy is also raising money ahead of the ride. The family has raised close to $7,000 so far.

“It does raise awareness,” Dan said. “It’s raising funds so that money will go to a great cause…anybody, regardless of ability can be on a bike if they want to.”

Quincy’s ride in RAGBRAI will also double as his high school graduation party. Family and friends will gather together on Wednesday to celebrate him and his accomplishments after he finishes his ride.

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