GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. -- After riding their bikes from California to Florida to benefit special needs children, two men were hit by a truck just miles from their final destination.

Stan Bippus, 68, had been on the ride of a lifetime with his nephew, 29-year-old Jeremy Winkelman, by his side when tragedy struck.

Winkelman has cerebral palsy and was the inspiration behind the ride. He told an Indiana TV station that he wanted to show the world that people with special needs can do anything. Earlier this year, the pair set out on a cross-country bike ride from San Diego to St. Augustine to raise money for charity and prove doubters wrong.

The two detailed their trip daily with updates on their blog Jeremysride.blogspot.com, and from the looks of things they were loving the trip.

However, on Wednesday, with the finish line less than 25 miles away and six months of travel behind them, Bippus and Winkelman were hit by a truck near Green Cove Springs.

Now, their family members have flown to Jacksonville, not to celebrate the conclusion of a cross-country journey as they expected, but to pray their loved ones pull through.

"They were going to finish yesterday, and just had the last 30 miles to go. It's amazing that it happened now. It's really sad," said Bippus' daughter, Stacia Bippus.

Bippus' daughter said she rushed to Jacksonville from Alaska to be by her father's side. She said he loves going on all kinds of adventures, but now she's not sure how long it will be until he can take another one.

"He's not well. He's got a lot of injuries. He's on a ventilator and he's in a lot of pain and has a lot of injuries. I think he's going to be good though. He's a fighter. He's going to come around I'm sure," Bippus said.

She said even in his condition, her dad realizes how close he and Winkelman came during the trip.

"He's very sedated but when he does wake up, he makes this face like he can't believe what happened. They were so close and came so far, and for this to happen at the end," Bippus said.