Tragic twist as mum dies during son's memorial
In a cruel twist of fate, a mum has died on a memorial motorbike ride for her son just weeks after he also died in a motorcycle crash.
Diane Everett, 51, from Milliken in the US state of Colorado, lost her son Michael, 23, in a motorbike crash on April 5, according to a GoFundMe page started by her daughter-in-law Jess Fordham.
Ms Everett posted photos of her son on Facebook in tribute to him. They showed Mr Everett’s love for motorcycles.
To honour his memory, Ms Everett organised a group of about 100 people on Saturday to take part in a memorial ride on her son’s 2012 Honda CBR, KDVR reported.
“She wanted to celebrate her son’s life doing something they both had a passion for,” Ms Fordham wrote.
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The group were headed to Horsetooth Reservoir for a memorial gathering, which was Mr Everett’s favourite spot, before heading to Berthoud where he died.
'I can't lose two of them': Ride goes horribly wrong
Ms Everett’s husband, also named Michael, told the station during the ride a horse stepped out onto the road and she swerved to avoid it.
Colorado State Police added Ms Everett came off the road after failing to navigate a corner, went into a ditch and came off the bike.
Paramedics transported her to hospital but she couldn't be saved.
Her stepson Joshua told The Fort Collins Coloradoan he witnessed the crash.
“As we were getting closer, I could see bike parts, and I think we both knew what happened,″ he said.
“All I could think of was, ‘Not again. I can’t lose two of them.’ ”
Joshua said his step-mum was “fighting at the scene to stay alive”.
“But at the same time I don’t think she wanted to come back but instead felt my little brother’s spirit and chose to be with him,” he said.
A friend of the family wrote on Facebook she still can't wrap her head around what happened.
"So many of us are in shock and completely devastated," she wrote.
"We are never met with answers when something like this happens."
Ms Fordham wrote Ms Everett “needed to be with her son and god granted her that wish”.
“While I am happy they are together again, we are left picking up the pieces. Words cannot describe what we are going through,” she wrote.
“Diane left behind her husband Mike, daughter Amanda, son Josh as well as grandchildren and family that will never be close to the same after this.
“Having gone through the costly final expenses for Micheal just a few short weeks ago I am asking for help to get us through another.”
with The Associated Press
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