UPDATE: Residents rally after biker death
Birdswood bike crash victim identified.
THE trauma of the untimely death of local biker, Ricko Reineke (40) has been softened by the tremendous support given to the grieving family.
‘Words cannot describe the feeling we all felt witnessing the scene, but I am overwhelmed at the thought that our members of the community stood together and offered assistance wherever we could.
‘I feel proud to be a part of this CPF,’ Babitha Sewparsad.
This was one of numerous messages of sympathy, support and solidarity exchanged between members of the Birdswood Community Policing Forum, following the tragic motorcycle collision, in which a father was killed.
Reineke died on the scene at the intersection of Fish Eagle Flight and Gallinule Gate when his bike collided with a Mercedes on Friday afternoon.
Ambulance paramedics attempted resuscitation, but he had already passed away.
His bereaved fiancée, Madelein, said he phoned her shortly before, saying that he was leaving work and that she must have the food ready, because he was hungry.
‘I waited and waited, but he did not come. I immediately realised something was wrong.
‘When I got the call, I jumped in my car – the accident happened less than 600 metres from our house.
‘They tried to resuscitate him but he was gone.’
His young son, 6-year-old Johnny, who witnessed the crash, was consoled by neighbours and as news of the accident spread, community members pulled together to offer whatever support the family needed.
‘We are originally from Witbank and Pretoria area and we know few people here, but the community supported us in incredible ways. I don’t even know who to thank,’ said Madelein.
‘We will have a memorial service at Naval Island with the Biker Church on Wednesday.
‘We have been together for 12 years. He was much loved by everybody and was a wonderful father.’
Babitha, who was one of the first on the scene, said: ‘We are no longer strangers but we came together as a family.
‘It could have been any of us in this situation and it gives me comfort knowing the support is there.’
The driver of the Mercedes was reportedly not seriously injured.
