Dozens hit the road for memorial motorcycle ride in memory of a local Marine

BRUNSWICK, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Dozens of motorcycle riders taking the streets of Rensselaer County for the inaugural Dylan Eder Memorial Ride. Eder, a local Marine veteran, died in a motorcycle crash in 2019.

“He’s here today," his father Mark said.

Riders drew back their kickstands at the Harley Davidson in Brunswick, setting off in memory of the veteran who was just 28-years-old.

“In spite of our loss, you appreciate the people around you, and that they haven’t forgotten him either," his father said.

Eder, who graduated from Bethlehem High School, served in the Marine Corps for around six years, as a Corporal and Platoon Leader. He was also set to get married just months after the accident.

The first ever ride in his memory is raising money for Puppies Behind Bars, an organization that allows prison inmates to train dogs to help veterans returning from overseas.

“We wanted to do something to honor Dylan and it just worked out that he loved animals, and he was a Marine, and the two items just came together," Eder said.

Mark, one of the dozens to participate in the inaugural event, “It was after Dylan’s death that I realized, at 28-years-old, how he impacted so many people at such a level. There aren’t many people that walk this Earth that can touch so many lives in a short period of time," he explained.

Dylan's impact on the world evident, as bikes rolled through Rensselaer County Saturday. Some riders traveled from as far as Tennessee to participate.

His brothers both on the bike and in the service say they will never forget him.

“He was just like one of those firecracker kind of people, one of a kind guy. Always laughing, always in a great mood, even when we were in the field getting rained on, eating dirt,"

Dylan's memory is also forever imprinted on the Traveling Memorial Wall for Fallen Bikers, a tribute that was present at the ride's Harley Davidson starting point.

Kickstands went up at 11, with riders concluding an over 70-mile journey to eventually reach the VFW in Valley Falls.