Turning Miles Into Meaning

Derrick Brown’s Bike MS journey began decades before he ever knew the event’s name — as a child in western Pennsylvania riding along in his father’s truck, helping transport bicycles from finish line to start line. “My dad volunteered for many years,” Derrick recalls. “I was five or six, just riding along. I didn’t know what it meant — just that it mattered.” 

He wouldn’t understand just how much it mattered until adulthood. In 2022, Derrick was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Suddenly, the event he’d grown up around took on deeper meaning. “I knew what MS was, but I didn’t know what to do with my diagnosis, or what my life would look like, and still don’t.” he says. “It was scary. But I remembered the bike ride. I didn’t know what support looked like, but I signed up anyway.” 

That decision changed everything. 

From Fear to Fuel 

Derrick entered his first Bike MS ride just three months after diagnosis. He wasn’t a seasoned cyclist. He wasn’t fully prepared. But he showed up — hoping to find community, stability, and maybe even a way forward. 

What he found was purpose. 

The fear and uncertainty that comes with an MS diagnosis can be overwhelming. Derrick felt that weight deeply. “It’s hard not to slip into depression or anxiety,” he says. “You start imagining what might happen next.” But something shifted on the route. Meeting other riders. Hearing other stories. Feeling the energy and joy that fills a Bike MS weekend — it opened something in him. 

And then, during the Wisconsin ride, he met Rob, the executive director of the Wisconsin National Multiple Sclerosis Society, who asked a question that would transform Derrick’s relationship with the MS movement: 

“Have you ever heard of the Passport Program?” 

Derrick hadn’t. 

The Passport That Opens Doors 

The Bike MS Passport Program rewards top fundraisers by allowing them to ride any Bike MS event in the country without registration fees or additional fundraising requirements. Derrick was immediately intrigued — not because of the perks, but because of the possibility. 

“Rob told me that if you raise $5,000, you earn passport statue. And something clicked for me,” he says. “I realized I could channel all my fear into fundraising and make something good happen — for myself and for everyone living with MS.” 

What began as a coping strategy quickly became a calling. 

Derrick raised $5,000. Then he raised more. He found himself energized by the work — the conversations, the impact, the momentum it created in his life. Fundraising wasn’t a burden; it was a lifeline. 

“It saved me — my mindset, my relationships, my mental health. Turning that dark energy into something positive changed everything.” 
~ Derrick Brown

And the Passport Program, in turn, expanded his world. Today, he travels to Bike MS events across the country — connecting riders, fostering community, and lifting up teams and individuals who are new to the movement. 

The Making of a Leader 

What sets Derrick apart is not the miles he rides, but the miles he rides with others. He’s the kind of cyclist who slows down for rookies, who encourages nervous firsttimers, who will literally push someone’s bike up a hill if that’s what they need. 

“If someone wants to ride but is scared, I’m their guy,” he says. “I’m not racing. I’m here to be company, to talk, to make the miles feel lighter.” 

He has done exactly that — for countless riders. 

His team, Psyclepaths, has grown through connection and wordofmouth enthusiasm. They cover their own jerseys, their own lodging, their own fees — so that every dollar they raise goes directly to the National MS Society. And every year, the team doubles its fundraising. 

Derrick’s leadership is rooted in humility and gratitude. He never forgets how deeply this community reshaped his life. 

Why the Passport Program Matters 

For Derrick, the Passport Program isn’t just a reward — it’s a gateway for riders to dream bigger. 

It allows: 

• Traveling to new rides without extra cost 
• Joining multiple MS communities nationwide
• Sharing best practices and building a stronger, more connected movement 
• Bringing back fresh ideas to local teams and events 

The benefits ripple outward. When riders like Derrick travel, they carry energy, expertise, and encouragement into new regions. They bring home new perspectives and share them generously. 

In Derrick’s case, he uses every passport ride to recruit, motivate, and mentor. Wearing his Passport jersey on Day 2 of each event sparks conversations that lead to new fundraisers, new teams, and new commitments. 

It’s community building at its best — built one conversation, one mile, one rider at a time. 

Looking Ahead 

In 2026, Derrick plans to continue riding at Escape to the Lake in his home state and return for his third year at Wisconsin’s Best Damn Bike Tour — a ride he calls “the most fun, most welcoming, most well run event I’ve ever done.” His long-term goals include Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, and eventually every Bike MS ride in the country. 

More importantly, he hopes to keep lifting up riders — especially those newly diagnosed or anxious about taking that first step. 

“If you want to ride, come find me,” he says. “I’ll ride with you. I’ll help you fundraise. We’ll do it together.” 

Derrick Brown is more than a cyclist. He’s more than a fundraiser. He is, in every sense, an alchemist — someone who has turned fear into fuel, diagnosis into drive, and miles into meaning. 

And thanks to the Passport Program, his impact now reaches far beyond his home roads. 

Learn more and register – Bike MS: Best Dam Bike Tour.

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