I had meant to finalize this post one of the first two days of the month in order to coincide with Dia de los muertos, a time of remembrance for family and friends of loved ones who have passed away, but didn't quite make it. Communities of cyclists across the country, and around the globe, feel the loss whenever one of our own is taken from the world. There is something about riding a bicycle that is very humanizing; a simple machine ties us all together, and it is therefore right that we remember the lost ones whether we knew them personally or not.
Rafael Perez, 28 December, Pomona
Randy Isaacs, 13 December, Lake Forest
Carol Schreder, 3 December, Malibu
Anthony Martinez, 24 November, Oxnard
Romeo Jimenez-Zavaleta, 12 November, Laguna Hills
Sherri Norton, 6 November,
Robert Eugene Hyndman, 5 November, Laguna Beach
Lee Andrew Tichenor, 30 October, Murrietta
Francisco Donato, 28 October, Chino
Jim Laing, 23 October, Agoura Hills
Randy Isaacs, 13 December, Lake Forest
Carol Schreder, 3 December, Malibu
Anthony Martinez, 24 November, Oxnard
Romeo Jimenez-Zavaleta, 12 November, Laguna Hills
Sherri Norton, 6 November,
Robert Eugene Hyndman, 5 November, Laguna Beach
Lee Andrew Tichenor, 30 October, Murrietta
Francisco Donato, 28 October, Chino
Jim Laing, 23 October, Agoura Hills
Mark Leones, 16 October, Laguna Beach
Margaret Conway, 13 October, Anaheim
Omar Gomez, 8 October, Chino Hills
Vernon Slade, 2 October, Moreno Valley
Justin Newman, 30 September, San Diego
Jerzy Nowak, 27 September, Escondido
Alan Deane, 22 September, Pasadena
Jocelyn Young, 18 September, Pasadena
Enrique Lemus Bautista, 23 August, Los Angeles County
Zachariah Houck, 15 August, Oak Hills
Duane Parkinson, 10 August, Irvine
Bernie Cota, 5 August, Rancho Cucamonga
Jeremy Perez, 5 August, Redondo Beach
Cody Wessel, 5 August, Lake Elsinore
Michael Biel, 3 August, Jurupa Valley
Arthur John Jacobs, 27 July, Vista
unidentified, 23 July, Rancho Mirage
Jose Garcia-Espinosa, 22 July, Moreno Valley
Victor Rodriguez, 19 July, Los Angeles
Jesus Lopez, 16 July, Montecito Heights
Louis Gabor, 6 July, Long Beach
Steven Pyle, 4 July, San Pedro
George Loudon, 4 July, El Segundo
unidentified, 2 July, Long Beach
Ricardo Gilberto Lizarraga, 30 June, Fontana
David Sandoval Caldera, 24 June, Blythe
Jaime Ruiz, 19 June, San Diego
John H. Dillingham Jr., 11 June, Camarillo
Jonathan Acosta Fernandez, 10 June, Norwalk
Nick Venuto, 31 May, Poway
Fred Walsh, 16 May, Riverside
Hung Khac Do, 15 May, Fountain Valley
Eduardo Perez, 14 May, Canoga Park
Nick Haverland, 11 May, Ventura
Jordan Hickey, 29 April, National City
Shantrel Kailyn Williams, 22 April, Compton
Nemesio Herrera, 22 April, Coachella
Alex Romero, 20 April, Canoga Park
unidentified, 17 April, Silver Lake
Travis Carroll, 14 April, Palm Desert
Jim Swarzman, 10 April, Encino
Marco Acuapan, 8 April, Tustin
Leonardo Antonio Florez, 18 March, Long Beach
David Mendez, 28 March, Bonsall
Mark Bixby, 16 March, Long Beach
Ignacio Manriques Sanchez, 6 March, San Diego
Jose Luis Carmona, 5 March, Santa Barbara
Roberto Garcia, 1 March, Riverside
Amine Britel, 21 February, Newport Beach
Suntat Peverley, 11 February, San Diego
Marberry Ben Acree, 5 February, San Diego
unidentified, 25 January, Pomona
unidentified, 20 January, Long Beach
Andrew Brumback, 19 January, Westminster
unidentified, 18 January, Garden Grove
Kevin Unck, 9 January, Claremont
Robert Gary Garvin, 5 January, Redondo Beach
Joseph Powers, 4 January, Ventura
Some of these people were victims of violence, some of negligence, others of circumstance. I have tried going back, especially through the early months of the year, to find the names of everyone in the Southern California region, who passed away while engaged in the simple act of riding their bike. Ted Rogers, of Biking in LA, of course, does an excellent job of memorializing each victim at the time of their passing. But even using that source, I am sure I have missed some people. If you know of anyone, please let me know so that I can add their name here.
the breath caught in the back of my throat reading this entry. I knew Jim. It still stings to see his name on that list. Likely always will.
ReplyDeleteIt's one thing to learn of these deaths individually via whatever might be reported in the media and/or on the bike blogs throughout the year. It is another eye-widening thing entirely to confront a list such as this. Thank you for this painful but important reminder.
ReplyDeleteYou left out my brother,
ReplyDeleteJim Laing, 23 October, Agoura Hills, Southern Calif.
Thanks, Peggy
Peggy, thank you. Not sure how I missed adding Jim's name to the list, his passing resonated with so many.
ReplyDeleteWill, as soon as I posted, that is what I was struck by. As the months pass, and the inevitable statistics creep into the media, you know there have been many deaths, but they are spread out and the impact is rightfully on a more individual level. Then you see all the names of these people together, and it hits you, my god, the list is long. I suppose that is one reason why monuments, such as the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, are so powerful.
Thank you for listing Justin Newman here. I am making him a Ghost Bike to display for the CicloSDias San Diego Open Streets Event- August 11, 2013 which will ride past my home and the last place Justin lived.
ReplyDelete