Cycling network rallies behind circle of relatives of Olathe man who died throughout race
OLATHE, Kan. — The circle of relatives of Craig Redwood and the neighborhood biking community had been in mourning Sunday in Olathe. Hardwood, 47, a former country biking champion, died all through the Rage Against the Chainring gravel bicycle race final weekend near Wichita. His motorcycle started to flow left in front of numerous other riders, and he fell over the handlebars, putting hit his head, in step with the Reno Country Sheriff’s workplace. It’s unknown whether an underlying scientific condition played an element in Heywood’s demise. More than a hundred cyclists rode in a memorial race in his honor Sunday in Olathe. “We are devastated, simply torn to portions,” Heywood’s mom, Kristine Johnson, stated. Still grieving the lack of her son, Johnson took a word that he died doing the aspect he enjoyed the maximum, cycling. She found out about Heywood’s loss of life thru a cellphone call. “I felt my son slip far away from my coronary heart, and I knew,” Johnson stated.
“I already knew when they referred to as I returned that he had now not made it.” Heywood’s circle of relatives is from Colorado, but he moved to Olathe to end up an air visitors controller. Additionally, he met a form of a 2d circle of relatives, the cycling institution that honored his memory Sunday. One of those institution contributors turned into Jeff Peters, who claimed Redwood as an amazing friend. “Numb for several hours, and then it commenced with setting insincerely,” he said of his reaction to Heywood’s death. Peters and Redwood created three Feet Cycling group whose mission changed to remind people of a Kansas law that requires drivers to be at a minimum of 3 feet from cyclists while passing.
“(It) Receives the adrenaline going a bit while an automobile passes you intently, but I consider for more advanced riders or younger riders or human beings with less experience it is even more drastic,” Peters said. As difficult as his death is to the method now, Heywood’s circle of relatives believes he leaves a long-lasting legacy. “The handiest way to heal is thru stunning moments like nowadays and knowing that this network will support and embody his kids (and) his spouse, that this simply does no longer stop,” Johnson stated. “I do not assume everyone should ever fill that footwear. However, they could peddle right along the aspect of them all the time of their hearts.” To honor Redwood, the circle of relatives said they’re growing an annual race known as the Hemi Gravel Ride for you to take vicinity in October.
