Donald Parker

An article about installing this ghost bike appeared here.

Bicyclist Dies After Accident In Indiana Twp.

INDIANA TOWNSHIP (KDKA) ―
A man from Allison Park has died following an accident this morning in Indiana Township.

Don Parker, 52, had two passions - one for the people in his life and the other for bicycling.

He kept a picture of his cycling team in his office at Aptech Computer Systems.

"You don't come across people very often like him, Mary Robb, family
friends, co-workers, the simple things in life were the most important
to him," Jill Wilder, who's worked with Don for 25 years, said.

But about 7 a.m. on Hart's Run Road, Don was on his Schwinn mountain
bike. It was his daily eight-mile ride to work from Allison Park to Fox
Chapel. He was traveling west when he was struck from behind by a Ford
truck and killed.

Friends, like Sean Fitzpatrick, could not believe it.

"I was in shock because he is an extremely safe rider," he said. "He would put on all the gear - the helmet, the lights."

Police believe the man driving the truck may have been distracted.
Police also confirm that Don was wearing a helmet and had lights on his
bike.

Sean Fitzpatrick, who is also a veteran cyclist, got a text message
"Pray for Don," but Don had died of his injuries just before 11 a.m. at
UPMC Presbyterian Hospital.

"You get news and it's like life changes. It's like you make plans and
then life happens all of a sudden, just like that," he said.

At Aptech in RIDC Park, there were many tears for their lost friend. Don worked there as a manager.

"Don and his family are very special to us," Wilder said. "He has worked here 28 years."

A few years ago when one of his co-workers was diagnosed with Multiple
Sclerosis, Don put together a fundraising cycling team to participate
in the MS-150 – riding from Cranberry to Erie – 150 miles.

"He took that on as his personal way to help out and the scarf he used
to wear on that bike ride when he returned he used to give to her,"
Wilder said.

Don was married and the father of two girls and a boy. Losing him leaves a huge vacuum in a lot of lives.

"Huge. We are all just numb," Wilder said. "We just don't know yet how we're going to deal with all this."

Allegheny County Police are investigating the accident.

This year's MS-150 will be held June 12-13. Riders will start at Moraine State Park to the finish line in Erie.

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

http://kdka.com/local/Indiana.Township.accident.2.1718147.html

Photos from the lock-up on May 30, 2010 by Rob de la Cretaz:

More photos.