Danielle Deck will pedal 65 miles from Philadelphia to Atlantic City on Sunday, July 26, after raising more than $19,000 for the nonprofit that helped her family when her husband, Wissahickon Fire Company Deputy Chief Jonathan Deck, died in October 2025 at age 35.
Deck, an Ambler resident and mother of two young sons, is the top individual fundraiser in the 39th annual Ben to the Shore Bike Tour, according to the event's official website. Her personal fundraising page showed $19,221 raised against a $15,000 goal as of Wednesday, July 23. Around Ambler reported her participation on Tuesday, July 22, and put the total including team and offline contributions at more than $23,000.
The ride benefits the Families Behind the Badge Children's Foundation, a Conshohocken-based 501(c)(3) that provides up to $10,000 in immediate financial support to families of fallen or critically injured first responders. The foundation listed Deputy Chief Jonathan Deck as a 2025 Immediacy Grant recipient on its website, confirming the family received assistance after his death.
Jonathan Deck served as head of operations for Deck's Landscaping in Ambler and was a longtime member of the Wissahickon Fire Company, a volunteer company serving Plymouth Township. A FOX29 interview with Danielle Deck about the ride is viewable on her fundraising page at ben2shore.org/danielledeck.
The ride
The 65-mile route begins at 7 a.m. at the former Philadelphia Police Headquarters, crosses the Ben Franklin Bridge, and finishes at the Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City. Shorter options include a 30-mile route starting in Hammonton, N.J., and a 10-mile route from Galloway, N.J.
As of Wednesday, July 23, the tour had 2,182 registered riders and had raised $1,072,121 toward a $1.5 million goal, according to ben2shore.org.
How to help
Residents who want to support Danielle Deck's ride can donate at ben2shore.org/danielledeck before Sunday, July 26. The Families Behind the Badge Children's Foundation also partners with the Montgomery County Hero Fund and the Bucks County Heroes Scholarship Fund to provide long-term assistance to first responder families in the region.
What's next
Sunday, July 26: 39th annual Ben to the Shore Bike Tour, 7 a.m. start, Philadelphia to Atlantic City.
