I have a question for you at the bottom of this post.
But first, a quick story…
The Phone Call That Started It All
In college, some friends convinced me to train for a marathon.
“Mara-what?!?” - my father exclaimed during one of our Wednesday evening check-ins.
I filled him in on my 26.2 mile adventure, including the part about long training runs on country roads with no sidewalks.
He was concerned. Borderline panicked, honestly. He insisted I carry some form of ID while training, just in case.
I failed to oblige. 
The Pickup Truck
Three days later, I was run off the road by a shockingly large pickup truck. From that roadside ditch, I had two harrowing realizations.
First, if that truck had clipped me, I could be fighting for life in the local hospital. Without ID, nobody would know who I was, who to call, or how to access vital medical information.
Second, and wildly more intense, my Dad might actually be right about something. Let’s keep this admission between us.
The Basement
A few months after that near-miss, Dad and I launched ROAD iD from his humble, leaky, cramped basement in Northern Kentucky. We were both completely broke.
We did, however, have two untapped credit cards, a fax machine (under 40? Google it), and absolutely no idea what we were doing. Not exactly a winning formula.
What we lacked in resources and experience, we made up for with heart and hustle.
We worked passionately.
We worked without paychecks.
We worked night jobs so we could pay the bills.
Most importantly, we worked toward one simple goal: to see the day when wearing a ROAD ID would help just one person.
The Phone Call That Kept Us Going
“Thank you for calling ROAD iD, how may I help you?”
“Can I speak with the owner?” the caller asked.
“Of course, just a moment.”
I pulled the phone away from my ear and pretended to transfer the call.
With a slightly deeper voice, I cheerfully greeted the caller. “Hello, this is Edward. How may I help you?”
The caller’s name was Michael.
Over the next few minutes, he told me about his son who was hit by a car while training for his cross-country season. Because his son was wearing a ROAD iD, both Michael and his wife were able to race to the hospital to comfort their son and make critical care decisions.
By the end of the call, tears splashed down on my keyboard.
Michael was simply calling to say “thank you.”
But that first “ROAD iD Story” was a turning point. It turned a scrappy basement idea into a lifelong mission and it strengthened our resolve to share ROAD iD with the world.
Today
A lot has changed since that first ROAD iD story. As I write this, ROAD iD has positively impacted more than five million lives. We now hear "ROAD iD Stories” nearly every day.
Some describe minor wipeouts where a wrist was raised to give emergency responders all the info they need. Others come from grateful parents reunited with their children at crowded theme parks. We also hear loads of stories where a ROAD ID was used to save a life.
And, yes, we occasionally hear stories that are profoundly hard to process and extremely difficult to share - like Martina’s heartbreaking story, when her son’s ROAD ID gave her an opportunity to arrive in time to say goodbye, to hold her son’s hand one last time.
A Question For You
Most of us have had a phone call, a conversation, or an experience that changed our lives. In the busy pace of everyday life, we rarely pause long enough to reflect on those moments.
I’m asking you to pause.
What conversation changed your life?
It could be a chat with a mentor that set you on a new path, a piece of guidance from a family member, or a seemingly random comment that gave you clarity or purpose.
Whatever it is, I’d love to hear about it.
Shoot an email to edwardw@roadid.com and let me know. I read every response, and so does our team.
Thanks for reading and for letting us be a tiny part of your day.
It’s Who I Am,
