Oakland, CA – A year ago, Carlsbad, CA- based author John Miksa was out riding along the Pacific coast when he was hit head-on by a car. The UnitedHealthcare subscriber sustained major damage to his C-5 and C-6 vertebrae, and was given just a 1% chance of recovery.

And yet, this Friday, August 27, he’ll celebrate the one-year anniversary of the accident – and his amazing recovery – with a ride from La Jolla to Encinitas.

Former San Diego resident Rory Sutherland of the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis will accompany Miksa on the 15-mile ride, along with doctors from Scripps Health and UnitedHealthcare employees.

“As professional cyclists, we work hard to overcome challenges to get to the level we’re at and to win races,” Sutherland said. “But all the work we do is nothing compared to the courage John has shown to get to this point. I’m honored to help celebrate this achievement.”

The ride will begin around 9:30 PT at the Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, and conclude about an hour later at the Scripps Memorial Hospital in Encinitas, where they’ll enjoy a post-ride celebration.