Celebrate Bobby Cann's wonderful life Saturday

Chainlinkers,

We just posted a blog about Bobby Cann and a memorial service that his family is opening up to the bicycling community this Saturday, June 8 at 2 p.m. at the Rooftop Terrace in Millennium Park.

The blog is copied/pasted below.

Sincerely,

Ethan Spotts, Active Trans

Submitted by espotts on Thu, 06/06/2013 - 12:13pm

Celebrate Bobby Cann’s life

In Chicago there are on average 12 people killed each year while biking. There are almost 40 people killed each year while walking, 86 percent of them while in crosswalks.

Photo of Bobby Cann courtesy of Groupon 

Those numbers go up around the region in suburban communities where people are killed on high-speed, high-traffic arterials.

There are more people bicycling now than ever before. And as more people bike, it should continue to be safer and safer to do so.

But in my eight years working with Active Trans, I have experienced too much death. I believe that fatal crashes and injuries are preventable in almost all cases as the result of choices we make to keep other people safe while we are getting around.

I vividly remember biking to 87th and Racine years ago to visit a grieving family, who had lost their four-year-old “Lil Man” to a speeding driver. They were people, just like me and you, who wouldn’t be able to see their little boy grow up.

There are news reports almost daily of people around the region who are killed or severely injured while they are walking or biking. A man in Bronzeville, a woman in Naperville, a child here, a child there, the list goes on and on.

When will it stop? When will our culture shift to respecting and protecting the most vulnerable — those people who legally and rightfully deserve it the most? The elderly, our children, people with disabilities, people who are walking or biking.

I didn’t know Bobby Cann, the 26-year-old man who was killed last week while biking. But I probably would have liked him a lot based on how his family and friends talk about his life.

Over the years, I’ve had thousands of conversations or salutations with strangers on bikes as we were stopped at lights or giving each other “the nod” as we pass each other in the middle of winter. I bet Bobby experienced that too and relished those moments of human interaction as much as I do.

We can only hope that Bobby’s family and friends celebrate his wonderful life and impact on their lives. We can hope that some good comes from a tragedy like Bobby’s death.

“For Bobby – A Friend & Cyclist” is the headline on the Groupon (where Bobby worked) that is beautifully written by his girlfriend — also a Groupon employee. The deal is a $10 donation to Active Trans’ Neighborhood Bikeways Campaign that mobilizes people around Chicago to push for more protected bike lanes that make it safer for people who are biking, and also walking and driving.

Bobby’s family is honoring him with a memorial service at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Rooftop Terrace in Millennium Park. Anyone from the bicycling community is welcome to attend. Afterward, there will be a gathering for Bobby’s family and friends.

Let’s celebrate Bobby’s life and extend the good light he brought to the world. Bobby, my next ride is for you.

espotts's blog

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Simone on June 6, 2013 at 9:25am

bumping

Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on June 7, 2013 at 3:51am

Just giving this a bump...Bobby's family wanted to make sure the bicycling community was invited.

So, you are all cordially invited.

Best,

Ethan, Active Trans

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on June 8, 2013 at 6:17am

Where is the Rooftop Terrace in the park? I looked here:

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium...and at the map and I'm not seeing it. My plan is to get there early enough to find it, but if anyone is heading to the park it might be useful to know where the Terrace is?

EDIT: oh, the Active Trans post included a link. It looks like the terrace is just east of the Pavilion.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on June 8, 2013 at 6:49am

According to the map ATA links to, it is just east of the Pritzker.

I'm guessing it is where food and beverages are sometimes sold during concerts? Or around there somewhere. 

h' 1.0 said:

Do you mean just east of the Pritzker Pavillion? Or is this closer to the Daley Centennial Fieldhouse and Burger King Bike Station?

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on June 10, 2013 at 7:07am

Wow. It would be impossible, given my meager command of the english language to convey the awesomeness of the memorial service. Clearly Bobby Cann was an exceptional person who brought light and love and joy to a large group of people. 

Thanks Ethan for extending the invitation to those of us who didn't know Bobby Cann. I'm also grateful to the family and friends and colleagues who shared such amazing stories and reflections and insights. You talked about what a huge influence Bobby Cann was on you, but it works both ways and I'm sure that a good chunk of his awesome was because of you. 

There were so many deeply amazing reflections from an uncle, a sister a mother a couple of brothers, a girlfriend and many many friends. I wish I could remember them exactly but their deeply uplifting impression is burned into me and I'm a better person for it. One thing I could look up was some words from poet Mary Oliver which opened and closed the memorial service:

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”

from:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/23988.Mary_Oliver

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on June 10, 2013 at 7:11am

Tony, from those of us who could not be there Saturday, thank you for sharing this.
 
Tony Adams 6.6 mi said:

Wow. It would be impossible, given my meager command of the english language to convey the awesomeness of the memorial service. Clearly Bobby Cann was an exceptional person who brought light and love and joy to a large group of people. 

Thanks Ethan for extending the invitation to those of us who didn't know Bobby Cann. I'm also grateful to the family and friends and colleagues who shared such amazing stories and reflections and insights. You talked about what a huge influence Bobby Cann was on you, but it works both ways and I'm sure that a good chunk of his awesome was because of you. 

There were so many deeply amazing reflections from an uncle, a sister a mother a couple of brothers, a girlfriend and many many friends. I wish I could remember them exactly but their deeply uplifting impression is burned into me and I'm a better person for it. One thing I could look up was some words from poet Mary Oliver which opened and closed the memorial service:

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”

from:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/23988.Mary_Oliver

Permalink Reply by Sarah D. on June 10, 2013 at 7:36am

Yes, thank you, Tony!

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