Zachary Amadeus Parke

Zach was killed by a hit and run driver. There was a memorial ride and a ghost bike and banner installed and a garden planted in his memory. There's also a memorial website and The Zachary Park Memorial Fund.

The 21 year old driver that killed Zach was later charged with but not yet tried for felony hit-and-run and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.

Exerpted from an email from Zack's mom, April Parke:

Zachary Amadeus Parke was riding his bike home from the University of Santa
Cruz the night of June 7, 2011. He was hit by a car driving at a high rate
of speed. The driver did not even slow down but was observed much further
down the rode checking the damage on his car. Zack was left on the side of
the road to die. He lay in the high weeds for 8 hours before another
bicyclist found him. The city of Santa Cruz was stunned and horrified when
this happened.

2 weeks after Zack was hit,another bicyclist was killed in a hit and run. The driver in that case turned herself in hours later. Zack was a bike messenger, had participated in and created many bike races.

He built bikes for friends and taught them how to maintain them. Zack was
an accomplished and dedicated rock climber. In 6 short years he had
developed his skills to tackle many difficult rocks and boulders in
Yosemite and Bishop, California. These included Half Dome 3 times and El
Capitan twice. He also got Midnight Lightening boulder in Yosemite 46
times. This is one of the hardest boulder problems, and attracts people
from all over the world to attempt it. He had a business, Prototype, making
messenger bags, various climbing bags and other climbing equipment. He did
all the sewing and design innovations himself and was just about to set up
a website for it.

But all of that takes a back seat to who Zack really was and what he gave
to all the people he encountered. With hundreds of people at his life
celebration, people shared their memories and love for Zack for almost 4
hours, till we had to shut down. Over and over people talked about his
constant smile, humor, humility, generosity and, so many how he had
inspired them in their life. Some people came up to me and told me they
only knew him from deliveries but were so touched by him.

At the memorial site of his death, which is now called Zack's Garden because of all the plantings made, we installed a ghost bike after a 300 bike procession from downtown Santa Cruz. There currently is a 10' by 46" banner hanging with
copies of  messages left at the site in the first month.

As far as Zack's killer, we went on tv begging people to help us find the driver. The first 24 hours we got over 200 calls. The 21 year old driver is pleading not
guilty and is facing a trial. Empty beer containers were in his back seat.
Once again a drunk driver has shattered countless lives and ripped a hole
in so many hearts. But this time I didn't read about it in the paper. The
door bell rang and when I answered it and saw the woman standing there I
asked " Is my son ok?"  "No, I'm sorry he isn't" she replied. The world
will never be the same for me and many others who love Zack.

A hole has been ripped in my heart and at this point I can't even imagine the
world will ever be right again. I admit to feeling a lot of hopelessness
concerning bicylists being hit by drivers, especially drunk ones. But I
keep reminding myself that if even 1 can be saved, I need to move forward.
That is why I am maintaining this ghost bike, garden and banner for public
view.

Here's another memorial page for Zack.