Man killed on cross-country bike ride to raise money for kids with cancer

A man cycling across the U.S. to raise money for children with cancer was struck and killed Tuesday on a Mississippi highway.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol said 32-year-old James Dobson was on Highway 98 west of Hattiesburg on Tuesday afternoon when he was struck from behind by a car. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident is under investigation.

“Three state troopers knocked on my door and informed me. I don’t think it’s really hit me,” his mother, Cindy Dobson, told WDAM.

Dobson had been riding a recumbent bicycle, or trike, cross-country since Oct. 1 when he departed New Hampshire. His goal was to ride 100 kilometres daily, to San Diego. Money raised was for the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock.

The epic adventure had been annointed “The Positive Vibes Tour” and Dobson chronicled much of the trip in blogs on his YouTube account.

Dobson explained his motivation in his most recent video blog posted Tuesday morning before the accident.

“When people ask me why I ride in the rain or if I ride in the cold, and I tell them, ‘Yeah, I ride in the rain and cold,’ and the reason is, and I’d ride through the snow too, the reason is because those kids don’t have an opportunity to make a choice to get out of the hospital and not do the treatment,” Dobson said. “I feel like I have an obligation to ride. That’s why I ride.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "When people ask me why I ride in the rain or if I ride in the cold, and I tell them, 'Yeah, I ride in the rain and cold,' and the reason is, and I'd ride through the snow too, the reason is because those kids don't have an opportunity to make a choice to get out of the hospital and not do the treatment," Dobson <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CElQmk5lAyY">said</a>. "I feel like I have an obligation to ride. That's why I ride."

WATCH BELOW: Dobson’s last YouTube video blog

Dobson’s family has been left in mourning but say they’re taking comfort in the knowledge he was not alone in his final moments.

“The gentleman that sat with him, he told me he was with him and never left his side,” Dobson’s mother explained. “He was devastated when I talked to him. I thank him so much. At least I know my son was with someone. He had someone to be with.”

Diane Bouthot, Dobson’s aunt, told NBC that the original goal was to raise US$10,000 and that only $1,200 had been raised before Dobson’s death. Donations started rolling in when news of Dobson’s death broke.

As of this writing, more than $20,000 had been raised via GoFundMe.

“He just wanted to meet people and go across the country and tell everybody to always be positive,” Bouthot added.

Keith Loud, the hospital’s physician in chief, said in a statement he was moved not only by Dobson’s dedication, but the courage it took to ride across the country in an effort to give back.

— With files from The Associated Press