SCARBOROUGH, Maine — The family of a bicycle crash victim is honoring her memory in a special way.
On September 13, 2019, Kathleen Kirsch, 63, of Scarborough, passed away after a pickup truck struck her bicycle on Route 1 in Scarborough in front of On The Vine Marketplace.
Kirsch's brother, Dr. Stephen Kirsch, her sister-in-law Maureen, and her niece, Meg, brought a ghost bike to the site of the crash to honor Kathleen's memory and to remind drivers to be aware behind the wheel.
Kirsch's brother says there is more to Kate than a 'stark white' bike. She was vibrant and more than just a statistic.
"She was really engaged in her community. She was a good sister and a good daughter to our parents," said Dr. Kirsch. "I think it's a good memorial. It pales in comparison to the person that my sister was."
Maine has seen four bicycle-related traffic deaths in the past two years. Two cyclists were killed in 2018, and two in 2019, according to the Maine Department of Public Safety.
According to a release from Lauri Boxer-Macomber, Attorney for the PR of the Estate of Kathleen Kirsch, ghost bike are public memorials parked on public ways near deadly crash sites to honor bicyclists who have lost their lives in traffic crashes. Boxer-Macomber is also a member of the Network of Independent Bicycle Crash Attorneys.
"People need to look and be attentive and vigilant," said Boxer-Macomber. "If we don't recognize as a society the need to be vigilant behind the wheel we will just keep seeing more and more deaths and more and more tragedies."
Boxer-Macomber could not comment on the crash investigation or the pending legal matter.
Kathleen's ghost bike serves as a solemn reminder of the loss of Kathleen's life in a preventable crash, as well as maintaining her spirit in the Scarborough community where she loved to ride her bike for health, transportation, and fun, according to the release.
"This is my older sister that lost her life and it's heartbreaking for my family and there is nothing that can happen to change this," said Kirsch.