HARRISBURG, Pa.-- Colt Romberger holds a special place in his heart for his father, Cliff Romberger.
"He was my best friend," Colt said.
Colt grew up riding horses with is father.
"We would go up the mountains. I grew up on a horse," he said.
Cliff, a Vietnam veteran suffered from a brain disease related to exposure from agent orange. It was a chemical used during the war to clear vegetation and trees in the area. Colt started thinking about ways to spread the word about agent orange related diseases.
Since both his father and himself had a love for horses, he would ride across the country to support the veterans suffering from agent orange. He brought the idea to his father.
"At the time, he really couldn't speak anymore, but he gave me this big thumbs up," Colt said. "For me, that was it. It's something I've got to do at this point."
Cliff Romberger passed away in September of 2015.
"In my heart, I'm doing this for dad, and in my heart I'm doing this for all the other Vietnam veterans," Colt said. "I'm a veteran myself, and when you start a mission, you finish the mission."
He will start in Santa Monica, California in May of 2017, and end in Washington D.C. During his ride, he wants to document talks with Vietnam veterans suffering from agent orange related diseases. The ride is expected to be about six months.
Colt also wants to raise money for his non-profit organization, Expedition Orange, to help veterans pay for bucket list activities. Riding a horse across the country was one his father was not able to complete before his death.
"Knowing that I'm finishing that last bucket list activity for him, he would be very proud of me," Colt said.
The horse was donated by a farm in Missouri.
You can find out more and donate to his cause on his GoFundMe page.