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Messengers Lost 2005
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| Mess Media, Decmber 31, 2005 The end of the year inspires reflection. Unfortunately in a profession where danger lurks not only at every corner but in every breath, reflection is often related to death. 2005 marks what was likely the worst year in memory for messenger deaths. At least twelve messengers (and likely many more in parts of the world from where we hear very little) will not see the anticipation of a new year. The developing threat to messengers is now cancer and other health related issues, as 4 messengers were taken by cancer and 1 by heart attack. For that reason health care and air quality issues like smog will continue to become more important factors in messengers’ lives. One person who has almost been forgotten is Otto Rivera. Otto was riding home from his job as a bike courier in Toronto on New Year’s Eve, 2002, when a drunk driver hit him from behind. He has languished in a coma for 3 years. His two young children. continue to mourn the loss of their father. On a related note Rob Siciliano (Toronto) - poet, bike courier, and drummer died December 2004. Sicliano's grave is still unmarked and some of his friends are trying to change to that: http://www.tobescene.com/arts/RobCharity.htm Messengers Lost 2005: George Alvarez (Chicago) Robert "Biker Bob" Byers (Toronto) http://www.ahalenia.com/memorial/rbyers.html Alvin Kaufman (San Francisco) http://www.ahalenia.com/memorial/akaufman.html Jason "Boris" Kyle (Sydney) Lee Mallory (San Francisco) http://www.ahalenia.com/memorial/lmallory.html Kristine Okins (Portland) http://www.ahalenia.com/memorial/kokins.html Nathan Osborn (Washington DC) http://www.ahalenia.com/memorial/nosburn.html "Page" Pagelua Pfennig, (New York City/Edmonton) http://www.messmedia.org/050221-nycdeath2.html Brent Rector (Vancouver) http://justbrent.net/ Mike Rivas (San Francisco) Valerie Zähndler (Berlin) http://www.ahalenia.com/memorial/vzahndler.html Visit the Messenger Memorial |
