A so-called "ghost bike" memorial was erected along Dehesa Road in the unincorporated area of El Cajon, just down the road from the Singing Hills Golf Resort. The site is the very same spot where cyclist Kevin Wilson was hit and killed by a driver in January of 2020. Wilson's close friends and family came together on Sunday to unveil the memorial installed in his honor.
"It's been 1,988 days since I lost Kevin and not a day has gone by that I don't miss him, think about him or love him," said Nancy Cavanaugh-Wilson, Kevin's wife.
Aug. 4 would have been Wilson's 61st birthday. His death is what led Nancy to join Families for Safe Streets San Diego, a local chapter that advocates for biker safety, united by the loss of their loved ones.
"I just want people to be aware that it's devastating, I mean when you lose somebody this way … it's beyond hurtful," said Wilson.
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Calls for Change Following Rash of Bicyclist Deaths
According to Safe Streets San Diego, there were 284 traffic-related deaths in San Diego County in 2023. It's a number that co-founder Laura Keenan said is a marginal improvement compared to the year prior.
"Traffic deaths are preventable. We have the tools to be able to save lives, and it's just a matter of making them happen," said Keenan. "Traffic deaths today are the No. 1 cause of death for people ages 1 through 54. There's over 40,000 people killed in the U.S. every year, and people don't always think of this as a crisis, but it really is," she added.
The tragedy of losing Wilson is what keeps Nancy focused on the mission at hand: To make sure tragedies like the one her family experienced never happens to anyone ever again.
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"I would like to see the roads improve with protected bike lanes, this [road] could definitely use it," said Wilson, while gesturing out to Dehesa Road, an unincorporated area of San Diego County in the El Cajon area.
Circulate San Diego, a nonprofit created in 2014 that advocates for better transportation and sustainable land use, said there are currently no plans in the works to make safety improvements to Dehesa Road. Wilson's loved ones, however, hope that the memorial will serve as a stark reminder for drivers to be aware of cyclists.
"It's just kind of unbelievable, we had so many plans and things to do in retirement, we were both mailmen, now I'm retired and he never got to reach retirement. His life was cut short," said Russel Jones, Wilson's coworker and best friend of more than 25 years.
Pearl Ellis, Wilson's mother, was also at the unveiling for the memorial. She told NBC 7 that while she is glad that Nancy pushed for the memorial to be erected, this won't give her closure when it comes to her son's death.
"Sometimes people say it gets easier, but I'm still waiting for that to happen," said Ellis. "A mother shouldn't outlive her son."
