Andrew Pedersen-Keel made the decision to attend West Point after he saw the terror attacks on September 11, 2001.
After graduating from the academy in 2006, he was deployed for the first time in 2008. He was an exemplary soldier just as he was an exemplary citizen before.
In 2012, he joined the special forces after admiring their professionalism and hard work for those four years. These were the soldiers that were working with the communities, and training the Afghan army so that they would be able to better defend their own freedom.
While on the job one day, an assailant in disguise marched right at him and gunned down Pedersen-Keel.
Now, three years later, his loving stepdad Bob Keiser is preparing to ride a motorcycle across the country in honor and support of his son and those like him.
Captain Andrew Pedersen-Keel was everything that a good soldier and a great special operations member should be. He worked hard, he was passionate, and he only wanted the best for his country and for our allies.
Everyone he worked with recognized what a great man and captain he was. His team from the first deployment even gave him a gift that his parents now have proudly displayed on their wall.
Now, to honor this man's passion, his parents work hard every day to run charities and foundations in his honor.
The two of them founded APK (Andrew Pederesen-Keel) Charities together in order to honor their son and fallen soldiers just like him in a gesture that they see as small, compared to what these men and women sacrificed.
While their son may be gone from this life, his legacy lives on. Keiser will soon be riding the Harley-Davidson he recently purchased across the country to honor his son. From California all the way to Arlington National Cemetery, he and those he rides with will be keeping our fallen soldiers in their hearts.
It seems like the best men and women are the ones to go too early, but that must be a testament to the great lengths that they are willing to go to for the sake of others. You can see the full story in the video below.
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