After rowing on Wednesday morning, he was riding down one of the city streets when he collided with an SUV. He was dragged 15 feet under the vehicle and sustained severe injuries. It's not known for sure what caused the collision, but E. was an expert cyclist. Possibly, he swerved to avoid a pothole. He didn't regain consciousness.
It's hard to explain what a good guy he was--enthusiastic about everything, intelligent, active in the community, and so knowledgeable about boats. Ironically, he has advocated for safer roadways on behalf of cyclists.
The last time I saw him, we had a good row and were in a festive mood. His daughter was there and he was teaching her to row. His little girl was the light of his life. I am wondering how a mother goes about telling her child that her beloved father is dead and won't be with her in this life. I cannot imagine such sadness.
I think somehow about how life and death play out in a split second. Maybe if the traffic light had been delayed, maybe if the driver had slowed down, maybe if there had been a slit second difference in timing due to some variable, he might still be alive. It comes down to fate or something much deeper that none of us understand.
All I know is a bright light has been extinguished.
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I can't imagine that burden of having to tell a child they've lost a parent. You're in my thoughts as is the E's family. (Hugs)Indigo
ReplyDeleteLife is so fleeting and precious and we never know when the next moment may be our last.
ReplyDeleteI thank God for each moment of life and pray for those who have come to their last one.
PG
There are no words.. Praying for you all.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I ride all the time in the summer, and traffic is always precarious. The other morning I watched a woman run a stop sign right in front of me. Had I left home 5 seconds earlier she would have run me over. You are in my thoughts.
ReplyDeletesorry to hear about your friend...hard to understand sometimes...feel for the family.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you lost a good friend. I hope he did not suffer. I will pray for his friends and especially his family.
ReplyDeleteThis is so horrible for the wife and daughter. What a shock for them. It sounds like your friend was involved in the community and a good family man.
ReplyDeleteWe can be called away from this world in an instant. My childhood friend, Maia, was. She was also riding, and perhaps the sun got in her eyes that day, as she crossed an at-grade crossing with an Amtrak train one beautiful May day. Her death makes every day of my life more precious. Thank you Maia, for your life... and your dreams... Thanks you Syd for reminding me of her by your share...
ReplyDeleteWe are often reminded that "to live each day as if it is your last." And we sort of ignore that most of the time,watching our lives play out like a movie...with each screen only a tiny different from the screen before it and the screen after it. There is always next summer to take that vacation, there is always tomorrow to call that friend we haven't talked to in a long time, there is always next month to love better, give forgiveness. And then we are reminded how short and fleeting life is when someone we know passes suddenly. I'm so sorry you lost your friend. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
ReplyDeleteSorry Syd. It is so sad. All the more sad when someone is gone in a second in the prime of life.
ReplyDeleteThis morning on my ride I saw a big pick up truck swerve TOWARDS a biker - and it shocked me. I try to stay away from traffic, but sometimes it is unavoidable.
So sad. I am sorry for your loss.
XO
ReplyDeleteSuch tragedy. I am really so sorry, for you, but especially his little daughter and his wife.
ReplyDeleteA split second...changes everything. God be with all of them and you as you look for comfort in the midst of grief.
ReplyDeleteHugs.
As a cyclist that has ridden for the last 400 consecutive days as a part of my own recovery, I'm saddened by the loss of another comrade. Please pass my condolences on...
ReplyDeleteI am just so sorry to hear about this. I will be praying for you and the family.
ReplyDeleteVery sad.
ReplyDeleteReminded me of this article about another very experienced cyclist recently injured by a truck.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1296818/Olympian-James-Cracknell-hospital-fractured-skull-horror-bike-crash.html
I remembered reading this comment:
Lance Armstrong has said many a time that riding on the American roads is extremely dangerous.
He's been delibrately run off the road by cars and trucks on several occasions.
- AM, England
I have cycled through the city here and it is extremely dangerous. I avoided trucks like the plague because they cause so many fatal bike accidents, and the current freight laws mean that appallingly inadequate overseas driving licenses are considered fit for haulage in the uk. Meaning many foreign haulage firms driving in the UK have drivers who are dangerously below normal UK haulage driving standards. Completely dangerous basically.
I prefer to run/walk instead of cycling now, but I might go back to it at at some point.
Poor guy. Thats so sad.
I thank God that we can cherish that light that we have around us all the more each day.
ReplyDeleteI pray for the family and friends of E.
So difficult sometimes to see the light when we feel the darkness of uncertainty or doubt.
Grateful for the gift of a higher power all the more.
oh man... i can at least pray for his soul, for his family and friends, that is sad news...
ReplyDeleteI offer my prayers of condolence for the loss of your friend Syd
I am so sorry.
ReplyDeleteOh how sad :( so sorry for your loss, thoughts and prayers to the family and friends of such a wonderful person.
ReplyDeleteIt boggles the mind how life can turn on a dime. I have to cope with this terrible knowledge by exercising my faith that our lives have purpose no matter how brief or tragically ended.
ReplyDeleteHow incredibly sad, Syd. I often wonder if this world makes any sense at all.
ReplyDeleteI'm very sorry about your friend. What a shitty deal.
ReplyDeleteLove,
SB
So sorry about your friend. saying prayers for all of you. beautifully written.
ReplyDelete