Community members raise funds to get Marine veteran accessible motorcycle

At the Northside Tavern in Broomfield, sitting in the warm sun, sipping on a cold drink, and listening to good music makes for a pretty good night on its own. But the owner Steve Bauer had more in store for one of the guests. 

"I even put the bell that he had on his old bike on that one," Bauer said.

He delivered a shiny red Harley Davidson to that guest, Cecil Williams, who is more than a familiar face to the staff.

"It's beautiful, awesome," he said.

The Marine veteran who served in Vietnam when he was just 18 years old has had a rough couple of years.

In 2020 he lost part of his leg after a fight to get medical care. Shortly after his brother and closest family member passed away and in September, he suffered a near-fatal heart attack and had to be revived multiple times.

The therapy he needed on a chopper he loved was no longer an option.

"It's called wind therapy. Unless you experience it you don't know, you can have all the troubles in the world you can just clear your head. That's what it's all about," Williams said.

Bauer knew he had to find a way to get Williams back on a bike.

"I'm going to get all emotional, this guy has got his butt handed to him for the last 3 years and he's always still happy, it's kind of been inspirational for me you know that he keeps his head on when we all complain about little things," Bauer said.

The community started pitching in, then Bauer organized a ride for Cecil, and with the help of a generous donor, they raised enough money to purchase a more accessible motorcycle.

"It's set up so he can shift either way just by tapping with his prosthetic," Bauer said.

It's gift Williams never expected.

"I got awesome friends," Williams said.

"You're an awesome person Cecil that's why you get what you deserve, finally," Bauer said.

But a gift his family knew he needed.

"I am going to stay in the wind I know that -- stay in wind," Williams said.

An online fundraiser is still open to help pay for insurance and registration for Williams. The GoFundMe is titled "Help Sgt. Cecil to be able to ride again."