Hartland Teen Riding 1,500 Miles to Help Brother

You might have seen them on Argentine Road, M-59 or Old U.S. 23 late afternoon Saturday or early Monday — three small groups of mostly teenage cyclists peddling their way through the area.

What you probably didn't know was the ride is part of a 1,500-mile trek to raise money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy reseach and the riders include Hartland teen Jack Van Houten, who's already raised more than $10,000 for the Jett Foundation.

"My brother Kyle has Duchenne, so I'm doing this for him," said Jack, 15.

The riders stopped in Hartland on Saturday at the Van Houten's home and spent all day Sunday in the area, taking time to rest and watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in Brighton.

Kyle, 12, said he appreciates what his brother is doing.

"It's just awesome," said Kyle, who wrote a guest blog post on the foundation's website about the stop in Hartland. "Because maybe they can find a cure."

The cyclists, who average about 50 to 70 miles a day, started July 5 in Minneapolis and will eventually ride through seven states on their way to Point Pleasant, NJ, at noon on Aug 5. They arrived in Hartland after stopping in St. Johns, where the mayor there rode along with them. They headed to Temperance on Monday.

The group, which includes experienced adult riders who are leading the tour, stays at campgrounds, churches and schools along the way, sometimes giving presentations about Duchenne. They also plan days off to rest and have fun, such Sunday's movie and an upcoming stop at the Cedar Pointe amusement park in Ohio.

Called the JettRide, the riders raise money and spread awareness of Duchenne, the most common lethal genetic disorder diagnosed in children, mostly boys, according to the foundation's website.

The disease, which is the most severe form of muscular dystrophy, affects about 20,000 worldwide a year and there are about 15,000 living with the condition in the U.S, the website said. Duchenne appears early in a person's life and slowly weakens their muscles, affecting the ability to walk and the heart and respitatory sytems.

Most of the riders like Jack have a sibling with Duchenne and raised at least $4,000 to go on the trip.

Keith Van Houten, Jack's dad, is proud of his son and appreciative of those supporting the fundraising effort.

"We've been overwhelmed by the support by our friends, family and neighbors," Keith Van Houten said.

For those interested in donating, click here.