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Logline

After early-onset Alzheimer’s strikes, two far-away friends drop everything in a race against time and memory loss, turning a cross-country bicycle ride into a national call to remember what matters.

Synopsis

Tracey Collins, age 55 and devoted mother of three, has already been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. This comes after struggling for over a year to receive an accurate diagnosis. However, it isn’t the first traumatic event she and her children have had to endure. Ten years prior, her husband took his life and left the family struggling to make sense of how to move on. Now, faced with her own daunting future, she must find a way to prepare herself and her loved ones for the uncertain road ahead.

Out of this darkness emerges a spark of purpose when Tracey’s longtime friend Koenraad, from the Netherlands, shares his plan to cycle across America in her honor. His ambitious goal is to not only raise money or the Alzheimer’s Association, but to raise awareness and hope for those impacted by Alzheimer’s. Moved by his gesture and her passion for advocacy, Tracey commits to joining him—not on a bike, but in spirit and in action, riding in a support vehicle with her life and care partner Scott. Together, they travel across the country, partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association to share Tracey’s story, build awareness, and ignite change.

As they cross through small-town America, we witness Tracey and Koenraad’s encounters with others, revealing scenes of both tenderness and joy. Included are reflective detours into Tracey’s past, painting a vivid portrait of the vibrant, passionate woman she was before Alzheimer’s began to take hold. The documentary reaches its emotional peak when Tracey and Koenraad arrive in Portland, Maine. Again, joined by a mass of cyclists riding in solidarity, Tracey joins in to pedal the final mile, symbolizing her enduring spirit. Racing Al is not just a story about Alzheimer’s, it’s a testament to friendship, and the unwavering strength of the human spirit.
 

Meet the Filmmakers

Brent Hardy — Director/Editor
Brent Hardy brings over two decades of storytelling experience to Racing Al, serving as co-director, second camera, and primary editor. Though this marks his feature-length directorial debut, Brent previously edited the 2007 documentary The Outlaws. This project holds profound personal meaning for Brent, not only due to the emotional weight of the subject matter, but because of his close connection to Tracey, the film’s central subject. As the brother of Tracey’s partner, Scott, Brent has a personal bond with Tracey and has earned her complete trust, an essential foundation for capturing raw, authentic moments on Camera.

Mika Lentz — Co-Director/Producer
Mika has contributed several award winning documentaries including Failure is Not an Option for History Channel, Hitler’s Lost Sub for NOVA, To The Moon for NOVA, Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack for National Geographic Specials, Fire on the Mountain for History Channel, Pearl Harbor USS Oklahoma: The Final Story for PBS and USS Indianapolis: The Final Chapter for PBS. Mika produced a documentary feature on behaviorally challenged kids and the effects on their communities – The Kids We Lose (2018). Mika is also known for Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street (2023), Wild Crime (2021) and Father Spirit.

Scott Hardy — Co-Producer
Scott Hardy is a divorced father of two grown daughters, and lives in Saco Maine with his partner, Tracey Collins. Scott has a long career serving people – ranging from outdoor apparel and gear sales and service at L.L. Bean, to running customer support teams at a mid-sized software company, to AmeriCorps Program Manager serving disadvantaged youth in Maine and New Hampshire. Serving others has been the throughline of Scott’s career, and now he has the opportunity to serve his largest community to date, those affected by, or to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease. And that
community just happens to include the love of his life, Tracey. Scott will be serving as a co-producer for this project, working alongside Mika at key phases of the project. 

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Contact

For inquiries, please contact fiscalsponsorship@filmindependent.org.