The death of an 18-year-old cyclist is raising questions about the safety of a Lachine bike path.
Tyrell Sterling was using a bike path to get to a friend’s house Monday afternoon, when he was fatally struck by a heavy truck at Saint-Pierre Ave. as it turned right on Berge du Canal St.
The young man died later in hospital.
“I feel like there's a hole in my heart, and in my stomach, a part of me is missing,” said Tyrell’s distraught mother, Sophia Sterling, through tears.
Cyclist Elisabeth Prescesky said that section of the bike path is dangerous, and signs telling cyclists to stop and get off their bikes to cross the street on foot are unclear and obscured by trees.
The problem is compounded by large trucks using the lane to make deliveries. They may have trouble seeing pedestrians and cyclists crossing, she said.
“As you can see, it ends quite abruptly, and there should be a line showing people that the path does continue,” she said.
Police continue to investigate the incident.
Meanwhile, Tyrell’s family and friends are struggling to cope with the abrupt loss.
A recent graduate of Marymount Academy, the teen loved acting, dancing and music and hoped to pursue a career in sound editing.
Friend and acting coach Toma Weideman said he’ll miss Tyrell's spirit and leadership.
“I couldn't believe that he died, and the way that he died is shocking,” he said.
Heartbroken by the loss, his mother said he was a kind and sensitive young man.
“He liked to help people out,” she said. “He always offered an ear or a shoulder, whether again it was for me or friends, and that is something I am going to miss.”
