Updated: Tue Jul. 01 2008 18:37:11

ctvwinnipeg.ca

The grieving family of Daniel Hurtubise say they will remember him as a hero and inspiration, and as a man dedicated to fighting diabetes.

The family issued a statement to the media Tuesday. 

"We are proud to say diabetes did not beat Daniel," the statement read. "He passed away as a happy man surrounded by his children and passionate up to the final moment."

Daniel, his two children, and a friend were on the "Ride of a Lifetime" hoping to make a difference in the lives of people suffering from Type 1 Diabetes.

But almost halfway through their cross-country journey, two of their lives were cut short.

The four cyclists were hit by a passing car on the Trans-Canada Highway just east of Virden Sunday afternoon.

Fifty-year-old Hurtubise from St.-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec was killed instantly. So was his 45-year friend from Kelowna, BC.

Hurtubise's 16-year-old daughter, Sonia, and 19-year-old son, Alex, were also struck. They were taken to Virden hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The group had left Vancouver's Stanley Park on June 14. They planned to cycle to St. John's Newfoundland by August 12, and to raise $500,000 for diabetes research along the way. All that changed in a moment.

RCMP say the cyclists were hit from behind by a Honda Civic that was also traveling east. Police closed the highway and diverted traffic during their investigation. The driver of the Honda Civic, a 27-year-old Virden man, was not injured.

RCMP are continuing their investigation, they say alcohol is not considered a factor in the crash.

It's believed the cyclists were to meet with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at the Assiniboine Park on Canada Day.

The "Ride of a Lifetime" was the culmination of two years of training, according to the family's website.

Saturday night Sonia wrote the last entry for their trip on the website's blog:

The sun is shining it's a beautiful day. Each cyclist is looking at their odometer and cannot believe that we have covered 2,000 km since the launch in Vancouver. Tonight we have celebrated that special occasion around a good table at a very nice restaurant in Moosomin. Tomorrow we will enter in Manitoba. ... We have received donations from people who heard our interview on the radio. Thanks and please keep on supporting our cause...

It is support she and her family will need now more than ever.

Dozens of letters have been coming in through the site, sending thoughts and prayers.

Please Add Comments

Anne
I never could understand why people do these fundraising schemes anyways - why don't they just ask people for donations instead of always having to be the center of attention. When I have a fund raising event - I just ask for the money instead of putting my life and other people's lives on the line!

gs from wpg
I was deeply saddened by the passing of Daniel Hurtubise. This was a totally unnecessary fatality. I was also disturbed by the remarks of the RCMP and the 'permit' issue. Joe McGill and rk are right on the mark. Unfortunately, in my 30 years of cycling in Manitoba (mostly Winnipeg) there are too many drivers who believe that cyclists are not supposed to be on the road. If people would read the Manitoba Highway Traffic Act, they would learn that a bicycle is just another vehicle on the road. This means that the shoulder is not to be used for travel, but for emergencies.

Joe McGill
Jim, Sorry to say: if you are driving and it is in your lane you have a responsibility to react safely and quickly. It doesn't matter what it is or how it got there.

Clif Chapman
I am a driver. I also am a cyclist. To me, it is a no-brainer that the only way to ride a bicycle upon a highway is facing the traffic, not having the traffic coming at you from behind. A friend of mine was killed when struck from behind while 'safely' riding on the shoulder of the Yellowhead (Hwy 16). You are not obstructing traffic anymore riding toward traffic than you are away from traffic and if some driver has his head in the wrong place, you can easily see them coming and save your life. If the governing legislation has to be ammended to cover the change, so be it. I'm sick of seeing news of single and even whole groups of riders struck from behind. These vehicles do not drop from the sky. Face them; see them coming - and live.

wesley84
Shame what happened, but I tend to doubt all those here scorning the driver are as perfect as they wish to portray themselves to be.

Something like this happens in a split second, and let's face facts, shall we? A busy highway is just no place for a bunch of romantics to hold their quest. How many times must this happpen before people realize that? If you really feel bad, donate some money to their cause, don't let them die martyrs for nothing.

Mark Kieven
Jim, maybe you had better brush up on the traffic laws before commenting. A bike is a vehicle and as such must follow the highway traffic act. Section 151.5 states "No person shall travel on the shoulder" and section 147 states "Any vehicle traveling upon a roadway at less than normal speed of traffic shall be driven in the right-hand lane as close as practical to the right-hand curb or edge of highway".

Martha Birkett
I just completed a charity horse ride on this same highway. I know the committment these four people made for their great cause, and their sacrifice and now their sacrifice is even larger. I hope that all of them, their families, and all involved find peace as time passes by. I hope that people help them to continue their dream by donating to their worthy cause so that it can be fulfilled. God bless them all.

jim
CTV sure picks the comments that are sympathetic to the victims in this,chances are the cyclists were in the right hand lane ,not on the shoulder where they are supposed to be.

I see it all time as i drive ,even with a paved shoulder they insist on riding the line seperating driving lane and shoulder.

RK from Wpg
Late news reports that this cycling group did not have the required permits seems to lay some blame on them - this is ridiculous! For the first time in their tour from the western provinces, they would have been forced to ride on the traffic lane instead of the shoulder because Manitoba's road engineering is so inferior to other jurisdictions when it allows gravel shoulders and doesn't see the safety aspects of PAVING the shoulders on major highways. The Manitoba Government bears responsiblity in creating the conditions which ultimately led to this tragedy.

Joe McGill
The comments made by Sgt. Line Karpish found online at Canadian Press and by Sgt. Wayne Blackmore found online at CTV News were, I believe, poorly chosen. A fatality of a cyclist is a tragedy. Regardless of the fact that the investigation is ongoing these officers should not have referred to cycling as “dangerous”. I would ask you if these officers have ever given a statement to the media in which they have referred to driving an automobile in its prescribed manner as dangerous.

There is an implication made here by these two officers that cyclists make a poor choice to engage in a dangerous activity and that because of this it can be expected that fatalities will occur. I would hazard a guess that these cyclists were not operating their bicycles in an unsafe manner, that having travelled for a significant distance by bicycle in the past they had developed a high degree of awareness for their own safety and were not engaged in cycling behaviours which would have been considered irresponsible.

Driving a car has a far greater degree of inherent danger and the drivers of these vehicles need to take their responsibility seriously. I believe if I am driving a car and I encounter a car entering or leaving the shoulder of the road in front of me I would be responsible to brake for this car and not attempt to pass. I believe if I am driving a car and I encounter two or more vehicles driving closely behind each other or for that matter side by side I would be responsible to brake for these cars and not attempt to pass.

I have been cycling on the Trans-Canada Hwy in my home region for more that 10 years and have also made the trip from Whiteshell Park to Winnipeg twice by bike. I am somewhat aware of the conditions of the Trans-Canada through Manitoba and would say that there is a far greater “line of sight” available to drivers on this Manitoba highway than in Northwestern Ontario. It leaves me to wonder about the visibility conditions on the day of the accident and the level of awareness of all parties.

I find it hard to believe that anyone who has regularly driven or been a passenger in an automobile on the Trans Canada Highway over the past 20 years would not be expecting to see people cycling or walking along the roadway at some point on their drive.

Many things which we do are dangerous and involve some level of risk but I don’t believe that a person’s choice to take a risk in riding a bicycle on a highway should absolve the driver of a car from the responsibility to assess risks in their driving actions and to make safe choices.

Sgt. Line Karpish and Sgt. Wayne Blackmore are to be commended for the work that they do under pressure each day. I am not writing to make any complaint about them directly as officers. I would only hope that as a responsible police force you would work together to find a greater understanding of what it means to operate a bicycle on roads with fast moving traffic. It can be a very safe experience if everyone is responsible.

Dave
Why is it automatically the driver's fault? How do we know there wasn't an obstacle on the road and the cyclists swerved too far out to avoid it? I have seen cyclists almost hit because of being too far out before. I don't think we should pass any judgment on anyone until there is a proper investigation.

Adam
How did the driver not see four cyclists? Probably the same reason so many police officers are killed every year on highways all over the world. People don't seem to get it. Your car will follow your eyes. If you look at an object while your moving (running, cycling, and yes, driving) your body will naturally take you towards it.

Looking where you want to go is an excellent technique to avoid obstacles, if people would just be aware of it.

As a fellow cyclist, my condolances to those the community has lost.

David Houghton
Yes, John, rethink the Trans-Canada highway. By paving the shoulder. It's a very inexpensive way to save the lives of people who are making a difference - to our environment and our culture.

John
Viv, what do you mean "rethink our roadways?"

You're telling me the province should "rethink" the Trans-Canada highway to better accommodate cyclists?

That's just silly.

nel and gordon peach
The PROMISE : continue to carry on Dan's vision of improving the lives of people living with diabetes.

The ASK : all Canadians to support Dan's vision by taking action to find a cure.

Nel and Gordon .

Viv
Maybe it's time to rethink our roadways so that cyclists can be safer.

Dan B.
It won't matter what the investigation says. Nothing will happen to the driver. No one will change their driving habits. Sadly, it's legal to kill people on bicycles. A lot of people laugh about it and say they deserved it.

Neil Kathryn & Alex Wuolle
Our family met these wonderful people as they cycled through Salmon Arm on their journey to support a cure for diabetes. We are so very saddened by this terrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.

Cathy Kardal
That is so sad, l was actually traveling towards Winnipeg and I saw the aftermath of that accident.

I was troubled after seeing the scene,and hoped that no one was seriously injured.

Unfortantely some people were.

I had driven by so many cyclist that day and could never imagine not being able to see one and hit them.

That person was more then likely distracted at the moment and not paying attention to the road, what a shame.

mel
Terri and John,
I suggest that we all wait until the police investigation is complete before we start pointing fingers. There could be many other contributing factors to this accident. I have heard rumors that there was actually a third vehicle (a semi truck) involved.

I imagine that this 27-year-old male has enough guilt to deal with to last a life-time. Let's let our capable investigators determine his role in this, not us.

My heart goes out to these families and everyone involved.

Darcy Audette
I am in shock! Daniel wanted to help a great cause and his efforts to do so were cut short - I'm hoping people will not forget that his goal was to raise awareness and find a cure for diabetes.

I developed a friendship with this truly exceptional individual and will truly miss him and his passion for life. My prayers and condolences go to his family and other friends.

John Egan
How do you hit not one, but four cyclists if you have not been drinking? Talking on a cell phone? Changing a DVD?

I have 100,000 km plus touring experience, including tours all over Canada. Too often in cyclist fatalities the cyclist is blamed. I expect no less than a full investigation.

Sheldon Chartrand
Our hearts go out to those injured and to the two families of those killed in this tragic accident. Such a tragedy is always difficult to accept and is doubly so when those killed/injured are on such a charitable quest. - Another family from St. Bruno-de-Montarville

Terri
It was a sunny day. The roads were perfect. How does a person in charge of a vehicle not see not one, but four cyclists on the highway? Did a cellphone possibly play a huge part in this accident or did this person have no business travelling on a highway? This just makes my heart sick to think that a family trying to do some good towards the cure of this disease was changed in an instant. Can't wait to hear the explanation for this one.