Warrior Events & BRCC Honor Veterans at Pastranaland
Veterans, first responders, and Black Rifle Coffee Company gathered at Pastranaland over Memorial Day Weekend, offering a unique experience and a one-of-a-kind way to honor and commemorate what can so often be a difficult time for many in the community.
Photo by Lauren Warner/BRCC Blog.
“It has been such a privilege and honor to have fun with those that have gone over and protected our freedom and given us all the chance to do what we do,” Travis Pastrana said.
Warrior Events brought veterans and their families out to Pastranaland over the weekend to hang out with Pastrana and the BRCC crew, along with local firefighters. The Annapolis-based organization works to provide Maryland veterans and their families opportunities to engage with others in the veteran community and experience camaraderie similar to what they had while serving in the military. Visitors were treated to tours of Pastranaland, a variety of stunts, and the chance to ride with Pastrana and BJ Baldwin, not to mention the opportunity to get a tattoo from Big Island Mike, a Nitro Circus and Pastranaland staple.
The ability of the BRCC community to create this amalgamation of extreme sports, live music, and coffee and bring all of it together for Memorial Day weekend is truly unique. Not only were the veteran attendees included in many of the stunts and events throughout the weekend, but they were also present for a world “first” when Nitro Circus’ own Banksy completed a loop on a pit bike (this was the first time that the loop had ever been completed on a motorcycle, let alone a pit bike).
“I‘ve been watching Travis since I was like 10 years old,” Spencer Blythe, a Prince George’s County firefighter, shared. “I remember exactly where I was when I saw him complete the double backflip in the [2006] X Games.”
“I’ve never ridden a dirt bike before, and to be able to say that my first time doing so was at Pastranaland, that’s just so cool,” Jesse Bast, another Prince George’s County firefighter, said. “I didn’t know what kind of involvement BRCC had in this community, but for them to be this involved, that’s something I can get behind for sure.”
“It’s been a lot of fun for me to bring my kids down here to run around,” Luis Rosa, a Warrior Events participant, said. “Being able to get out and interact with this group is also really relaxing. Not to mention being around BRCC; so I’ve been following them forever — I have one of their first shirts. It’s really cool having watched them go from where they started to where they are now.”
Photo by Lauren Warner/BRCC Blog.
In addition to the aforementioned first responder/veteran community, Pastrana hosted a special guest: Brodie Stewart from the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
“Going to Pastranaland was awesome,” Stewart said. “To make my wish weekend even better, the guys from Black Rifle Coffee were there also. I had so much fun, it was like getting two wishes in one. All the guys were great and treated me just like one of the guys. One of my favorite parts was when Mat [Best] FaceTimed my brother Tyler with me to surprise him. #sendit.”
Photo by Lauren Warner/BRCC Blog.
Stewart had the honor of picking out a tattoo for Mat, Pastrana, and Jarred Taylor to all get, with the help of Big Island Mike. He also had Island Mike create some art for him, but with a sharpie instead of a tattoo gun.
Photo by Lauren Warner/BRCC Blog.
“Brodie’s wish weekend was more than I could have ever wished for him,” Brandy Stewart, Brodie’s mom, added. “Not only was it his wish to meet Travis Pastrana and experience Pastranaland, but he also had the bonus of meeting Mat and the guys from Black Rifle Coffee, and some amazing military vets. Our entire family is big fans of Travis and BRCC, even before this wish trip. From the beginning, those two gentlemen made Brodie feel like part of the crew and made sure to include him in everything. Brodie made memories and friendships this weekend that will stay with him forever, and for that, I am forever grateful to Mat, Travis, and the guys.”
Photo by Lauren Warner/BRCC Blog.
The weekend wrapped up with a private concert, with comedian Adam Keys as the opening act. Tim Montana, a BRCC fan-favorite and cowboy rock ’n’ roll artist, took the stage as members of Nitro Circus jumped their bikes over it.
“This is such a great opportunity for our family to be surrounded by other veteran and wounded-warrior families,” Natalie Callow, a military caregiver/spouse and Warrior Events participant, said. “To be out here on a day when we honor the sacrifices that the fallen have made, giving us the freedom to do this.”
Photo by Lauren Warner/BRCC Blog.
“The hospitality here and camaraderie are so welcoming,” Callow said. “To be with our community, although it’s a somber holiday because we miss those we’ve lost, we are thankful that we get to spend time as a family and are blessed to have one another.”
“To be able to work with a bunch of humans that love to live absolutely wide open and love to do whatever they can to give back and help bring everyone around them up is just incredible,” Pastrana said.
