From Two Wheels to One Heart: Dan & Miranda’s Story

That realisation brought him to Thailand, where he took part in a Hands charity ride—800km of pedalling across sun-drenched roads to raise funds for children he’d never met. But he quickly discovered that Hands wasn’t just a charity—it was a family.

Miranda’s journey began in 2013. Introduced by her best friend Carol, Miranda was seeking something deeper after enduring fertility struggles and a marriage breakdown. “I was heartbroken, burnt out, and looking for purpose,” she shares. “When Carol invited me to join a Hands ride, I had no idea just how much healing it would bring.”
Their paths converged on the 2014 Southern Ride.

“We met in the chaos of lycra and sunscreen,” Miranda laughs. “But what connected us went way beyond the ride.”

For 800 kilometres, surrounded by strangers who quickly became family, Dan and Miranda found a shared rhythm—not just on the bike, but in life. Both had come to give… but they ended up receiving so much more.

“We had similar values, similar wounds, and similar dreams,” Dan says. “We were two people trying to figure life out—and somehow, we did it together.”

Since then, the pair have returned to Thailand countless times—not just as riders, but as partners, and eventually parents. Their daughter, Zoe, arrived after years of trying. “Hands gave me a different perspective on motherhood,” Miranda reflects. “It reminded me that love, not biology, is what truly matters.”

Dan agrees. “Growing up, I didn’t have a stable family life. But the community I found in Thailand, the sense of belonging—Hands gave me that. It showed me what home really feels like.