12/27/2025
If you've visited the shop in the last few years, theres a chance you may have run into Charles, an outgoing, curious individual with an affinity for BMX bikes. He has been coming to the bike shop off and on for years, and more recently has volunteered countless hours to making the bike shop a better place, all while fighting addiction and homelessness. Regrettably, on December 9th, he was struck by a vehicle on his bike and passed away. This is and will always be our worst nightmare, losing a friend, peer, father, brother or community member in this way is simply not fair. As Charles' family moves forward, a hole is left in a formerly vibrant wake. We as an organization have decided to extend an opportunity to lend a hand to his family monetarily, to help them process their grief and properly send him off. If you are inclined to donate, there is a link to a gofundme in our bio, or you can reach out to us personally. If you are in the same boat as so many of us, and money is simply too tight, we urge you to tell a friend or peer instead.
Simply put, this tragedy is not merely a statistic. This is yet another needless loss of life in a barrage of tragedies, happening more and more as the years go by. Our leadership has responded with the usual thoughts and prayers and gentle reminders to drivers to pay attention and stop killing people with their cars, but it should be obvious. Nothing has happened as numbers run higher every year, as painted on bike lanes fade, and plans for new infrastructure run cold. When do we get to say that we've hit rock bottom? What is rock bottom, if not this? We need a real show of effort from those we've elected to represent us. We needed it yesterday. Our condolences extend to Charles' family and all those who have suffered a similar fate. The lack of infrastructure in Omaha speaks volumes in the face of these preventable pedestrian deaths. We would rather not be making this kind of post, and Im sure each of you would rather not see it. But hey, we at the Bike Project have realized our potential to engage in advocacy and would love to team up with like-minded individuals and organizations more moving forward. Feel free to reach out.