SAN DIEGO — A little over three weeks ago, a bike memorial was burned down that honored a cyclist and father who was struck and killed by a driver. A new one was set up Sunday in San Diego's Mission Valley.
Back in 2021, Matt Keenan was killed by a wrong-way driver while he was riding his bike on Camino Del Rio South. He was 42 and left behind his parents, wife and 3-year-old son Evan.
"Evan, my now 3-year-old, has to grow up without his dad," said Laura Keenan.
His father Dick Keenan said returning to the Mission Valley memorial is emotionally trying.
"I hate being here, to be honest," Dick Keenan said. "It brings up so many memories."
On January 5, someone set Keenan’s ghost bike memorial on fire and ripped up a birthday banner his wife put up.
"The sign was ripped in two, the banner was ripped in two," Laura Keenan said. "My soul was ripped into two. We shouldn’t have to worry about protecting memorials. Matt should still be alive."
Laura Keenan's friend Nancy Cavanaugh-Wilson said her husband was killed by a drunk driver. She said she knew how her friend felt in that moment.
"I felt her pain and wanted to reach out for support," Cavanaugh-Wilson said.
Sunday, families, friends, city officials and strangers gathered at the memorial site to put up a new freshly painted ghost bike with flowers.
"I mean, I'm so moved," Laura Keenan said. "It makes me tear up to know people are here to support and take time out of their Sunday."
Matt's family and the biking community are hoping his bike memorial also inspires change for safer streets.
"This is a reminder of how preventable these deaths are. The city needs to do its part in making streets safer," Laura Keenan said.
Dick Keenan agreed.
"I would like there to be more support of being safer on the streets," he said. "Watch out for people on bikes."
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