Mission Moment: Celebrating a Summer Tradition

Under a still-dark early morning sky, a parade of wheelchairs wended its way out of Shepherd Center and down the driveway to Peachtree Street. Four adolescent boys claimed prime real estate on the curb. Other patients, with their therapists and family members, took spots under canopies along the sidewalk. 

By 6:30 a.m. on July 4, 2024, the Shepherd Center building had largely emptied onto Peachtree Street to cheer on athletes in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race, especially the Shepherd Center Wheelchair Division. 

“I haven’t seen this much energy at 6:30 in the morning in a long time,” says Craig Elliott, PT, DPT, NCS, who was watching the race for the first time. 

As the sun rose, the first of the elite racers wheeled their way past Shepherd on their way up the infamous “Cardiac Hill,” the steepest part of the course. The cheering section was ready, holding hand-lettered posters with racers’ names and shouting encouragement. 

Behind the elites came other competitors, their arms fiercely turning the wheels on their chairs. “Boy, these guys are really working hard getting up this hill!” exclaims Shepherd patient Michael O’Connor, 66, who was injured in a fall at his home in Turner, Maine. “Holy moly!” 

Shepherd has been directly involved in the 10K event, known as the world’s fastest wheelchair race, since 1982. Wheelchair racers competed alongside runners beginning in 1978, but then were banned in 1980. The late James Shepherd, Shepherd Center’s co-founder, took up the cause, persuading the Atlanta Track Club to give wheelchairs their own start. Shepherd began sponsoring the division soon afterward, promoting equity among elite runners and wheelchair athletes. 

The Shepherd crowd continued its cheering as runners replaced wheelchairs. Many among the 60,000 racers yelled out hellos and thanks to the Shepherd crowd. Some broke their stride to fist-bump or shake hands with the patients. 

“The Peachtree is an event built on traditions,” says Atlanta Track Club CEO Rich Kenah. “These traditions include passing Shepherd Center at the midpoint of the race. We hear time and time again from the runners and walkers of the Peachtree how inspired they are by Shepherd Center’s patients, staff, and volunteers as they pass by on the morning of the Fourth.” 

Along with the verbal boosts, Shepherd spectators tossed out 15,000 peach terry cloth wristbands bearing the hospital logo. The four adolescent boys put their own spin on the activity by shooting the soft rings aloft like slingshots. Runners quick enough to catch them waved them in the air and broke into smiles. 

Shepherd patient Dixie Harris, 69, lives in Atlanta but had seen the race “only on TV.” At Shepherd Center because of a brittle bone fracture, Dixie says she woke up at 4:30 a.m. in anticipation of the race. “I’ve been ready ever since I heard there would be an opportunity to watch it,” she says.

As the race wore on, Dixie moved her wheelchair from the sidewalk to the street and began throwing wristbands to runners. “You’ve got it!” she yelled over and over, and, “Come on!” Several runners stopped to take selfies with her. “We’re representing Shepherd,” Dixie says proudly. 

Brittany Stewart, PT, DPT, knelt beside Dixie and shouted with equal enthusiasm. “It’s so much fun to see Dixie light up and cheer for other people,” she says. “We’re having a blast!” This was Brittany’s third Peachtree Road Race as a Shepherd therapist. “My heart doubles in size every year,” she says. 

Dixie’s husband, Tom, spent the night at Shepherd to be on hand for the race. “We love that Shepherd lets family stay,” Dixie says. “At first you feel kind of alone. To have family be with you is really important.”

Watching Dixie thoroughly enjoy interacting with runners, Tom’s eyes water and his voice catches. “I’m overwhelmingly happy,” he says. 

As the race wound down, the wheelchair competitors made their way inside Shepherd Center for a celebratory brunch. Racers from England and Canada sat side by side at one table, conversing about their experience. Josh Roberts, from Mobile, Alabama, a veteran of 10 Peachtree Road Races, looked around and smiled. “I’ve known a lot of these people for years,” he says. “That’s the best thing about this event—seeing people and making friends over the years.”

“It’s inspiring for the patients to meet these athletes,” says Becky Washburn, MS, wellness and ProMotion manager at Shepherd and coordinator of the wheelchair division. “And it also gives the athletes an opportunity to demonstrate to patients that this is something that can be achieved.”

Emi Perry, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hopes she inspired Shepherd patients just as they inspired her. “It feels special to see the patients here at Shepherd,” she says, “and help them see, ‘Maybe I can do this one year.’”

Brad Smith, 46, a counselor at DeKalb County’s Lakeside High School, was one of six of Shepherd’s own racers in the 2024 event. He became a patient in June 2010 after a car pulled in front of his bicycle, causing him to crash. He was unable even to watch the road race that first year, but since then he has become a member of the Shepherd racing team and a Peachtree regular. The 2024 Peachtree was his 13th. 

“It’s fun to be here with some of the best racers in the world,” he says. “It’s cool because they’re just normal people.” Cardiac Hill is the “worst and the best part” of the course, he says—the worst because of the grade of the slope, the best because of Shepherd. 

“I’m not going to slack off with Shepherd patients out there cheering me on,” he vows.

Written by Gayle White

This story is an excerpt from “Mission Moments: 50 Years of Rebuilding Lives One Moment at a Time,” a book celebrating Shepherd’s 50th anniversary in 2025. You can explore the full eBook or purchase a hardcover copy here.