War-injured military vets fundraise down CA coast

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- A crew of war-injured military veterans and active servicemen are on a four-day fundraising journey down the California coast. They may look like a few buddies on a typical joy ride, but these aren't your typical riders.

They're men like Bo Reichenbach, a retired Navy SEAL who lost both his legs during an IED attack in Afghanistan.

"I just want to be able to show people that there's nothing that can hold you back," Reichenbach said. "You want to do it, put your mind to it, you'll be able to get it done."

Reichenbach wears special prosthetics to ride hundreds of miles on the water.

The wounded warriors are riding the entire California coastline as part of the four-day Never Quit Challenge.

On Tuesday, they rode through Marina Del Rey and as the sun set over Long Beach, they rode into the harbor. Among the riders, retired Army Specialist Kyle Butcher, who was shot in Iraq.

"The Never Quit Challenge is exactly what it sounds like to show that we never quit, no matter what," Butcher said.

Shawn Alladio founded the organization two years ago. Last year, they rode the East Coast. In the process, they're raising more than $100,000 for veteran's charities.

"America isn't finished taking care of the veterans just because a war is either closing or coming to an end," Alladio said. "What it means is we need to begin our mission to fully support these people after they paid the ultimate sacrifice."

Every single jet ski has the name of a fallen soldier on it. The riders say they look to that when they need strength.

"I got so tired and I got down and I ended up leaning over and I looked at it and was like, 'you know what? If Gunny was alive right now, he'd love to be doing this. It kind of shot me back up and I kept going," retired U.S. Marine Cpl. Brad Fite said.

The riders say even though the challenge is tough, their brotherhood is tougher.

"We're riding for all our fallen brothers and thinking about them because they'd be right here with us if they were still with us," Reichenbach said.

The Never Quit Challenge will conclude Sept. 11 in San Diego. For more information on the organization, visit www.neverquitchallenge.com.