KRYSTAL HESS

MM’s FOUNDER / PROJECT MANAGER / BUILD MENTOR

 “Shortly after escaping a 9 year abusive marriage, I moved from Canada to Texas for a new love interest who 9 months later attempted to take his own life while involving me in a traumatic way. Before his attempt, we had a custom motorcycle on the lift, 75% finished - he was teaching me his passion for riding and building motorcycles. He destroyed the bike in his anguish that day. Not only did I lose my love, I also lost half of my life savings that I had invested in the bike and his motorcycle business. I found myself alone, staring in absolute terror at a storage unit full of bloody motorcycle parts and shop equipment that I now owned. Tire machines, bike lifts, powder coating equipment - you name it. I had no idea what I had in there let alone what to do with it. Like, what the heck is a swing arm or master cylinder? To clear my head, I traveled to Asia with my best friend and returned to find myself somehow rebuilding the dream bike that my ex and I were building together before he destroyed it on that terrible day. I needed closure. With every part I put back together, I put back together a piece of myself. When the bike was finished and was perfect and I just knew motorcycles were in my life to stay - they became my therapy and my way to cope. Since then, a lot has happened.

I decided to take the powder coating equipment I acquired to teach myself how to do some of my own pieces on the bike, and from there the boutique powder coating shop, Ricochet Customs, was born. It didn't happen without a hitch though. In 2013, a mere 1 month after opening the doors to my very own motorcycle and powder coating shop, my property was flooded with 5 feet of water and all my new equipment and bikes were destroyed. I was devastated, but in true Krystal fashion I took the challenges I was facing a day at a time and overcame. Ricochet was back up operating within days, and can now boast 11 motorcycle build projects (3 of them award winning), and hundreds of happy powder coating clientele served.Today, I use motorcycles to overcome my trauma and to help others do the same through my non-profit Motorcycle Missions. My mission is to help individ-uals with PTS(D) and suicidal ideation find hope and balance through motorcycling. I don't know where I'd be without motorcycles, so I hope to help others find the same passion.”Krystal

(Words by Loryn Cole)