About Me

Profile

About: I was born in H-town (hollaa!). My parents are wonderful, caring, and always full of guidance that I rely on day to day. I feel so incredibly blessed to have been raised by Mark and Kate Mai alongside my charming brother, Patrick and my forever over-achieving sister, Claire. My family is loving, supportive, witty, and adventurous.

With many summers spent on lake Travis and memories of my first and second grade years spent in Austin, I was reeled back in, to the University of Texas. What’s the deal with this city? It’s the BOMB y’all! I am a pre-nursing major with my sights currently set on pediatrics because I love kids and plan on pretending I still am one well into my professional career. Since coming to the 40 acres, I have joined Kappa Kappa Gamma, a sorority where I made truly amazing friends that supported me when I decided to apply for this insane organization during our preliminary weeks of friendship. I never looked back.

Currently I am enjoying the opportunity to explore Austin, run around town lake, and sample food from every culinary establishment in a fifty mile radius. Although I am just getting started with Texas 4000, it is already the best decision I have made since following my mom on twitter (she’s hysterical).

Why I Ride

The summer after my sophomore year in high school, I moved 5000 miles away to Paris, France. I was lucky enough to have one of my closest friends from Houston come stay with me for her spring break during our junior year. We spent the week touring Versailles on bikes, having a picnic under the Eiffel Tower, and roaming Le Louvre. However, a few weeks after her visit, my dear friend Carly was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Throughout her treatment Carly inspired me in ways I have never been inspired before. She was brave, optimistic, and most of all faithful. Carly and her amazing family's unwavering faith prevailed and in less than two months from her diagnosis she was pronounced "cancer free."
However, once I returned to Houston for the summer, donated my hair to locks of love, and watched hours of movies with exhausted (yet still remarkably chipper) Carly, I couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to do more.
Texas4000 is my way of finally fighting this disease.
I ride for my inspiring teammates, whose stories have touched me and further fueled my passion to end cancer, for those currently battling or who have battled cancer, and for all the families and friends of those affected.
I ride to spread hope, because I believe that one day we will have a cure for cancer and I want to spread that hope to as many people as I can. If I am able to share that with one person struggling because of this disease during my ride, it was worth it.