Rider Report: Meet Rudd
Rudd is a quiet force. The kind of man whose impact is felt more than heard. Soft spoken and steady, Rudd has lived his entire life with integrity, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to serving those around him. And woven through his story, like the steady rumble of a V-twin beneath it all, is a lifelong love of motorcycles.
Rudd’s love for bikes started young. In 1978, while still in high school, he bought his first motorcycle: a Suzuki 400. It wasn’t flashy, but it was freedom. Before long came a Kawasaki 650, and then a brand-new Honda 500.
But one ride changed everything.
On a familiar uphill stretch of road he had traveled dozens of times, Rudd approached a neighbor driving a tractor. A vehicle ahead of him passed the tractor without issue. But just as Rudd started to pass the tractor, it unexpectedly turned left. Instinct took over. Rudd accelerated just as the tractor turned, missing catastrophe by inches. He was so close that the tractor’s front tire ripped the rubber clean off his foot peg.
He rode away. Barely.
When he walked into the kitchen afterward his wife, Nancy, immediately knew something was different. Rudd told her he was shaken up, and for a man like him, that spoke volumes. Natalie and Nick were still babies then, and in that moment, the realization hit him hard: his life was no longer just his own. Other people were counting on him. He couldn’t ride like a 17 year old anymore. Without hesitation, Rudd traded in his motorcycle for a red 1991 Honda Fourtrax.
For most of his adult life, Rudd was a dedicated dairy farmer. His days started faithfully at 4 am., caring for his cows before most people were awake, and often ended late into the night. That Fourtrax hauled tools while fixing fence, carried calves out of the back 40, and carted kids to the pond after a long day of baling hay. On especially hard days, he would joke with Nancy, “Someday I’m gonna sell these cows and buy a Harley.”
As it turned out, someday arrived.
As luck would have it, a family friend, Johnny, let him borrow a Fat Boy one summer. Johnny didn’t ride much and had mentioned he might sell it. Rudd asked if he’d be willing to take payments. The answer was yes, and just like that, the love that had been paused came roaring back to life. By then, Rudd was older and shaped by responsibility. He never forgot that close call with the tractor. The lesson stayed with him every mile since: “when you ride, you always have to expect the unexpected.”
Family and faith sit at the center of everything Rudd does. He and Nancy have been married for 40 years, raising four children together - a testament to a life built on commitment, love, and perseverance. One by one, his sons got motorcycles of their own. Today, some of Rudd’s favorite moments are spent riding the winding roads of Western New York with them.
Later in life, while driving a garbage truck, Rudd was involved in an accident that nearly took his life. Watching how quickly one moment could change the course of an entire family became the catalyst for Open Heart Outlaws’ inception.
Today, Rudd drives a school bus, a job he genuinely loves. He cares deeply for the kids he picks up every day, greeting them with the same quiet kindness and reliability that has defined his entire life. Rudd is proof that strength doesn’t have to be loud, that leadership can be gentle, and that a steady heart can change lives.
Rudd’s life has shaped the Open Heart Outlaws mission in countless ways, and his influence continues to ripple outward, reminding us what matters most in life. You can be part of the mission Rudd inspired by sponsoring miles for him today.
