Ride of Silence honors two fallen cyclist

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - Bike Wichita Falls hosted Ride of Silence today at Hamilton Park to honor Nancy Beavers and Jose Guadalupe Medina Martinez who both died due to bike incidents.

Ride of Silence has been going on for 21 years after a cyclist was killed in Dallas. The annual multi-location, international bicyle ride has spread worldwide including here in Wichita Falls.

On Wednesday May 17, friends and family took the time to honor Nancy and Jose by riding and not speaking to remember both fallen riders.

Drivers who see cyclist on the road may think they have no connection to them, but Co-chair of Bike Wichita Falls, Becky Raeke feels different.

“Really showing the person that Jose and Nancy were when they weren’t on the bikes maybe helps people make that connection that hey these are not just people who spend all their time on bikes. They are people in the community, you know their in your churches, they teach your kids at school, they could be your doctor, who knows. So, just trying to bring the person back to it so that it reminds people like hey I need to really pay attention. This is someone’s mom and dad this is someone’s son,” Co-chair Becky Raeke said.

Earlier this year, Jose Guadalupe Medina Martinez was honored by having a bike spray painted white called the “ghost bike.” The bike was placed at Martin Luther King Blvd. and Flood Street where the incident happened. He was struck and killed on October 24, 2022 and almost half a year later, a suspect was arrested on May 17, 2023. The same day as the Ride of Silence.

Nancy Medina had her “ghost bike” placed at Sisk Road and Southwest Parkway last year. The driver of the truck reportedly did not see Beaver.

The Ride of Silence event was held to help bring awareness to bicycle incidents and let people know to make room for cyclist on the road.

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