Burnouts 4 Cancer

Story by Tammy Bowman Photo byAlan Dockery

This all started when Mark Bow an saw a post on Facebook about a 4 year-old little boy, Wyatt Spann, from Alabama who had brain cancer. With that being said, anyone who knows Mark knows he has the BIGGEST heart and he wanted to do something to help this family.

Wyatt liked burnouts and soon it became a worldwide effort to do burnouts for Wyatt. To help cheer up a young boy and raise awareness for childhood cancers. Sadly, Wyatt passed away soon after the movement grew. His family has changed the fund raisers to Burnouts 4 Cancer.

Mark, who has a history of organizing charity fund raisers, was recognized in 2019 as one of the Bob Karney Carolinas’ Biker Lawyer’s Bulldog Heroes. He contacted Greg and Christy Spann, Wyatt’s parents for permission to do a ride. Quickly a charity ride was organized in two weeks for February 1, 2020. Wyatt passed away on January 16, but Mark said the ride was still on, instead of a charity ride it would be a memorial ride.

Lazy Hogz in Hickory is where the ride started. There were 76 bikers that came out to show their support for this little boy. There was a banner there for all the registrants to sign in memory of Wyatt. From Lazy Hogz, the ride went to Zipper’s Restaurant in Lincolnton. We finished at The Wizard Saloon where wheelies and Burnouts For Wyatt were done by some of the bikers and some in cages. Kevin Smith was there and, as always, laid some rubber down. Wyatt loved burnouts!

Mark wants to give special thanks to his wife, Tammy Bowman and Patty Coffey for taking care of registration. Tim Austin and staff at LazyHogz and Stephanie at Zipper’s Restaurant. Thanks to Mike Dyson and staff at The Wizard Saloon for all their support and letting folks do burnouts.

Mark thanks the biker community for always coming out to support him and the rides he has throughout the year. Without the bikers these rides would not be possible. Be safe and always enjoy tha’ ride.

Come late Spring, Mark is planning a ride to Alabama to personally deliver the money raised at the ride to Wyatt’s parents.