The original Diamond Peddlers cycling team was formed by Harry Huckaby in 1995 to participate in charity cycling events such as the MS 150, CF charity rides, and others. The team included Harry’s sons, Jason and Ben, as well as friends and colleagues. They did many rides over the next several years until tapering off in the early 2000s. When Harry was diagnosed with late stage cancer in 2007, Jason and Ben wanted to revive the team in his honor so they began gathering teammates and searching for an event.
One of the places in the Charlotte area that Harry used to frequently ride was the Booty Loop, so when Jason discovered that there was a cancer-focused charity ride happening there it was a perfect fit for bringing the Diamond Peddlers back. Their first 24 Hours of Booty was in July of 2008, and they were thrilled to have Harry as a spectator to cheer on their team.
That December, Harry Huckaby lost his battle with cancer, but the Diamond Peddlers have continued to ride in memory of him. The Diamond Peddlers have participated in a 24 Hours of Booty event every year since that first ride in 2008 in honor of Harry, those who have also lost their battle, or are currently fighting.
Though Harry Huckaby was the inspiration for reviving the team and joining 24 Hours of Booty initially, Jason (son of Harry) is a two-time cancer survivor, Charlotte Huckaby (wife of Harry) is currently fighting her third bout with cancer, and the list of family members and friends that have been affected by this terrible disease grows every year for everyone on the Diamond Peddler team. “We are driven by the memory and honor of all of these loved ones to push ourselves as hard as possible for this event so that hopefully one day cancer will be a thing of the past,” says Ben.
“We find this event important because we want to help everyone having to fight cancer, especially those in our local community. Having support and resources to fall back on after being diagnosed with cancer is incredibly valuable, both for the patients and the caregivers, and can make a huge difference in how well treatment goes.”
Thank you, Diamond Peddlers for your participation and support. Thank you, Ben for taking time to talk with us and share your story and thank you, Harry for instilling the determination to help grow the community of cancer survivors in Charlotte and beyond.