Mo’s Story

Anna Moriah “Mo” Wilson grew up in Kirby/East Burke, Vermont, with a dream of becoming an Olympic skier. Drawing inspiration from family, friends, and the Burke community, she believed in this dream. She trusted that if it was meant to be, it would be, and that everything happens for a reason.

This was Mo’s perspective when she tore her ACL sophomore year at Burke Mountain Academy. At the time, she was ranked third nationally for her age in Giant Slalom. And it was her perspective when she tore it again, three winters later, soon after fulfilling a childhood dream of joining the Dartmouth Alpine ski team. Moriah learned to embrace adversity with grace and purpose and developed a work ethic that was truly out of this world.

Months of committed rehab after her second ACL injury sowed the seed that would grow into a new dream: to become a professional cyclist. In less than three years of gravel and mountain bike racing, Moriah – known as “Mo” – became the winningest off-road cyclist in America. With the support of her sponsors, friends, and family, Mo chose to quit her full-time job at Specialized and commit to her new dream. “When you love something so much to the point where you’re fully committed”, she once told a mentor, “you make the choice, and the risk sort of becomes irrelevant. Because even if you fail, it will have been worth it. The process and all that comes along with that is more important and valuable, in the end.”

In 2015, she wrote that she wanted to “be the kind of person that picks other people up when they fall down, who’s there for people when they need support, encouragement, and inspiration.” This year, drawing upon the same values, she wrote that her mission was to “inspire people to ride bikes and be active” and “promote positive body image awareness for women, and female athletes in particular.” More than anything, Moriah believed in the power of community, for it was her communities that shaped her.

In May, 2022, Mo was shot and killed in Austin, Texas, where she was preparing to compete in a gravel race. We’re committed to honoring Moriah by keeping her dreams alive – by supporting each other in our communities and inspiring and helping others to get outside, ride bikes, and live healthy lives.