Member Story: Michael Savino

How were you first introduced to Peloton?

I was introduced to the Peloton community through one of the original TV commercials. Every time I saw the commercial all I could think was, “wow that is so awesome!”. I have taken a few cycling classes in the past and absolutely loved them although the problem that most people encounter is getting a spot (if you’re lucky to get out of work on time)! The ability to have live and on-demand classes in my home every day was a huge selling point for me especially since I work very untraditional hours, take care of two kids, and support my wife who has recently become ill.

What’s your favorite part of the workout?

Working out has always been very important for me personally and a huge stress relief. My favorite part of the Peloton workout is a combination of the physical effort, connecting with my new friends on the leaderboard, and then after the workout, seeing how the Official Peloton Rider Page comes to life as riders cheer each other on. Having a place to be able to rely on for support and to keep you accountable for hitting your goals is an amazing feeling.

How has the Peloton community supported you?

Over the past few years my family has lost our home in a flood, multiple family members due to cancer, job losses and on top of that, my wife has faced some major medical conditions. I’m very open about the struggles my family has endured because I hope by talking about it that I will help others facing the same challenges. I want to help them realize that there’s always hope and good people in this world who will go out of there way to help complete strangers.

My wife has been dealing with her main issue, EDS (Ehlers Danlo Syndrome). This genetic issue has also led to her having CSF leaks (cerebral spinal fluid leaks), which causes a number of mental issues ranging from memory loss, passing out, confusion, and extreme exhaustion. For most people, one medical issue would be enough, but this disorder has also led to her getting semicircular canal dehiscence and an autonomic blood flow disorder called POTS. With her treatment plan in place, she is progressing although due to all of these complications, she’s now been out of work and disabled for two years.

Honestly, every day is a struggle for my wife but she is one of the strongest people I know and I am so proud to be her husband. The issues we have gone through as a family has created a lot of stress; that’s where the Peloton bike has made its mark. I have always been into cycling my entire life but unfortunately the past couple of years life got in the way. When I saw the first commercial for Peloton, I fell in love with the idea of it right away. I thought it was genius and with everything going on, I needed an outlet! I quickly purchased one in November, and started my journey but little did I know how much this bike would change our lives.

Two days after Christmas this year we received a letter from the disability insurance company that they were dropping my wife’s disability benefits. It was a huge shock to us. I quickly went into survival mode and tried to figure out how we were going to be able to take care of all of the bills, put food on the table, provide for our children, while trying to pay for my wife’s medical treatments only on my salary. This is where the power of the Peloton community changed our lives and gave us an amazing amount of hope.

I put a quick post together on the Official Peloton Rider Page briefly mentioning that I was looking to sell my bike to help pay for some of my wife’s medical bills. Within 15 minutes, an extremely kind woman reached out and offered to pay for my membership fee for a month to help out so I could keep the bike. I kindly declined, thinking how nice people were in response to my post but little did I know what was going to happen over night.

I woke up to around 400 messages, not from people wanting to buy the bike, but messages from complete strangers wanting to help my family. I started speaking with two of the women and they wanted to setup a page to help my wife with her medical bills. Over the next 48 hours, donations for my wife came in from the community totaling $25,000. On top of this, the instructors at Peloton held classes to show support for my wife and our family, and Peloton’s entire company reached out to contribute as well.

The generosity of everyone has allowed us to continue medical treatments and therapy for my wife. I am a 33-year-old guy that was sobbing when this happened. I could not believe that a group of people, that didn’t know me or my family, would come together in a way like they did. The Peloton community has changed our lives in ways I cannot truly express in words. You have given us hope, shown us love and inspired us to keep going. Thank you Peloton-ians; you are all considered family to us now.

Connect with the Peloton Community even more on the Official Peloton Rider page here.