An American Legion Rider from California immediately found a new riding family when he moved to North Carolina.
When California American Legion Riders David Adams and Steve Allison learned that one of their former chapters who had relocated to North Carolina was involved in a serious motorcycle accident, the pair traveled more than 2,700 miles to visit their friend.
And what the pair found furthered their belief of how much of a brotherhood the Riders are.
A past Sons of The American Legion Squadron 521 commander and ALR Chapter 521 member in Rio Linda, Calif., Tim Maggenti moved to North Carolina earlier this year to support his family and transferred his membership to Squadron and Chapter 7 in Durham. And he immediately was embraced by his new American Legion Family.
“Tim has been a very welcome addition to our squadron and Legion Riders group,” said Past SAL Squadron 7 Commander and Past Detachment of North Carolina Commander Joe Dean. “He fit right in from Day One. He’s been there for us, helping out with anything we are involved in. He’s been to every meeting and event we have supported. We need more people like him.”
Adams, director of Chapter 521, had spoken with Maggenti on the phone before the accident and knew his fellow Rider had found a new home. “He’s like, ‘Oh man, I got in with a good post, a good group of guys. It’s just like riding with you guys,’” said Adams.
But when visiting Maggenti in person, it further emphasized the bond between Riders. “I go the state convention here in California and stuff, and see the camaraderie,” Adams said. “But to have him go from one coast to the other and have that same camaraderie, it tells you a lot about the Riders and how the brotherhood is so strong everywhere in the United States.”
Adams said he was told by Maggenti’s daughter that Dean had visited Tim every day since the accident. “I can’t even put it in words how good it feels to have our brother that moved so far away to be so included so immediately by the Riders there,” he said. “It just shows who they are.”
After visiting Maggenti, Adams and Allison decided to stop by Post 7. While they were outside checking out the post’s Vietnam-era Howitzer tank, they were approached by Riders from Chapter 7.
“They came out and said, ‘Hey, you must be the guys from California,’” Adams said. “They greeted us, and then Joe pulled up minutes later, and he came over, and they were all just so receptive and cool. They invited us right in and refused to let us pay for anything. It was such a good feeling to know that Tim – missing all of us, the people he’s been around forever – he is in such a good group of people back there. It’s such a good feeling.”
Dean said he and wife recently visited Maggenti and that his condition is greatly improving. He also noted it says something about Maggenti’s character that a pair of his former chapter’s Riders traveled so far to check on him.
“That’s a tribute to him as a person,” Dean said. “He is a dear friend and brother.”
Adams feels the same toward Maggenti, which is why he’s so happy his friend found a group of Riders like Chapter 7.
“Being a Rider, there’s that bond, and it’s a special bond. I already kind of knew that through the brotherhood of riding,” Adams said. “But I had never experienced it outside of our group until I went (to North Carolina) and saw how close they are. Man, it’s everywhere. It’s pretty to cool to see that.”
- Riders