NHL Ref Dan O'Rourke Biking From LA To Chicago For Charity

NHL referee Dan O'Rourke's legs will be in some serious shape when he drops the puck during the 2023-34 season. That's thanks to something he's doing for a great cause.

O'Rourke is set to ride a bicycle along Route 66 which will take him from California to Chicago. He's not just doing it because he can or to say he did but to raise money for the National Federation of the Blind.

According to NHL.com's Amalie Benjamin, this is a cause close to the veteran NHL official. His father was diagnosed with a condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa. RP as it's known is a rare condition that causes a deterioration of the retina and eventually leads to blindness.

"The majority of people that suffer from RP, by the time they're early 20s, they're legally blind," O'Rourke said. "My dad lasted quite a bit longer than I think he expected."

O'Rourke believes that his grandfather — who he never met — also suffered from vision loss, and he believes he may have also had RP.

Dan O'Rourke Will Be On The Road For 45 Days

The veteran ref will set off from Santa Monica, California, and average around 70 miles per day. The journey along one of the nation's most iconic highways will take him 45 days. He'll pull into Chicago on September 8.

He'll be sharing updates on his journey on social media. Plus, you can be sure he's got a lot of support.

Ahead of his ride, O'Rourke was sent a video of encouragement from kids at a summer camp that teaches kids with vision impairment to read Braille.

"They sent me a little video of them all sitting on the front step and like, hey, let's go, let's kill it, Mr. O'Rourke on your ride," he said. "I know I'm going to have some tough days on this ride, but those are the things I can pull from and go, 'You know what, I can get this done today.'"

Best of luck on the ride, Dan!

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