Eric Reed.Photo: John Sommers II/UPI/Shutterstock
“What we witnessed that night, I wouldn’t wish on the worst person in the world,” Reed recounts. “We found 13 that had survived, that we had gotten out of the barn, and that was a miracle. But you just think it can’t get any worse than that and you want to give up. And there’s emotions from anger to hurt to disgust to … emotions you’ve never felt before.”
Rich Strike.Michael Clevenger and Christopher Granger/sipa
Things didn’t get easier: In 2020, Reed spent nine days in the intensive care unit with COVID-19. “I got very sick, so I’m a little bit lucky to get out of that myself, because I have a kidney disease to begin with,” Reed recounts.
Then, after recovering, Reed lost two friends in the past year to cancer and a young grandson in a tragic accident.
“It just seems like it’s never going to end,” he admits. “And today I’m sitting here, those tragedies are what make today so much better.”
The experience, he says, “taught me to never give up” — especially as he watched Rich Strike’s win with his 76-year-old father. “It’s taught me that dreams do come true.
Now, Reed tells PEOPLE Rich Strike is ready to get back to training. “He’s ready to go back to work, I tell you that. We gave him an extra day off and I think we should have sent him back. He’s like ‘What are you guys waiting on?’ " Reed says.
source: people.com
