Run for the Wall 2025: A Ride of Honor, Healing, and Remembrance

By Mia Longoria

Willcox, Ariz.- The thunder of engines echoed through Willcox today as hundreds of motorcyclists participating in Run for the Wall 2025 rode into town on their cross-country mission of healing, honor, and remembrance. The annual event, which began in 1989, brings together veterans, their families, and supporters from across the United States to ride from Ontario, California, to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Founded by Vietnam veterans James Gregory and Bill Evans, the ride was created to raise awareness for the thousands of service members still unaccounted for from all wars. Gregory and Evans began this tradition with a motorcycle journey across America, stopping to speak with local radio and newspapers about the missing and the need for continued support of veterans. That mission lives on each May as riders retrace a path of purpose across the country.

Arizona Patriot Guard Riders, led by Ride Captain Dawna Stewart, lined the street to welcome the Run for the Wall

Today’s stop in Willcox marked an important milestone in the group’s 2,300-mile journey. Locals lined the streets waving flags, cheering, and offering heartfelt thanks to the riders as they paraded into town. The group visited a local veterans’ memorial and took time to speak with students and community members about their mission.

Each year, the goal of Run for the Wall is to promote healing among veterans, their families, and friends; call for accounting of Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action (POW/MIA); honor the memory of those killed in action (KIA); and support active-duty military.

Riders reflected on their personal journeys today, with many saying the open road gave them time to process the past and find peace. Each stop, including Willcox, provided a warm welcome and a reminder that their efforts are appreciated and recognized by communities big and small.

By the time they arrive in Washington, D.C. next Friday, more than 1,200 motorcycles will have joined the ride. On the Saturday following their arrival, participants gather at the Lincoln Memorial and walk to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, where they lay a “Mission Accomplished” plaque—an annual tribute that honors those who served and those who never returned.

Following their lunch at the Willcox Elk's Lodge, the riders continued east, carrying with them the memory of their stop in town and the weight of their mission. For many, today wasn’t just another stop on the map—it was a moment of connection, remembrance, and healing on the road to Washington with a warm community welcome.

---