Messenger Memorial - Bike Messengers

Kenichi “Ken” Nakagawa New York City, d. 11.May.2019, killed by car.

Ken Nakagawa

Ken Nakagawa was a New York City bike messenger and student from Tokyo. He was out for a ride when he was hit by a car and suffered a head injury. He was in a coma but later passed away.

It was already Mother’s Day in Japan when a driver struck Ken Nakagawa as he biked on Dean Street near his Bedford-Stuyvesant home on May 11th, the eve of his twenty-third birthday. “What a Mother’s Day present I had,” Ken’s mother, Naoko Nakagawa, 53, told Gothamist via email from Tokyo. She had not seen her son, who sustained a fatal head injury, for four years. Born in Indonesia and raised in Tokyo, Ken moved to Batavia, New York in 2015 to study at Genesee Community College. He moved to Manhattan to attend art school two years later. Nakagawa was “gentle and kind,” according to his mother. “What he did not like was to compete, and [he was] not interested in winning.”

Ken fell in love with bikes at age 13, when he learned to fix them in Boy Scouts. Many of his friends rode bikes, and he planned ambitious cycling trips, including a 350-mile ride between Tokyo and Osaka. He generally preferred bike commuting to taking the train. “In Japan, we celebrate being an adult at the age of 20,” Ken’s mother wrote. “His grandparents gave him money for him to customize his own bike, which cost $2,000. The bike he was riding at the time of the accident.” Ken rekindled relationships with both his sister and his birth father shortly before he died, according to Nakagawa. Asked how similar tragedies might be prevented in the future, Nakagawa bemoaned that her son ran a red light, and was not wearing a helmet when he was hit. “I suppose many cyclists ignore a traffic light, including my son. Providing thorough instruction might help,” she said. “He hit his head and died of brain death. It could have been different if he wore [a] helmet.”

From - 2019. Was An Extremely Deadly Year For NYC Cyclists Here Are Their Stories, (BY EMMA WHITFORD), Gothamist, December 17, 2019.

Hello everyone. This is our loved one Kenichi Nakagawa. He likes to be called Ken! Our beloved Ken is an amazing and talented young man. He is a keeper of all things pure and genuine. Ken is a humble man of God, and a gentle loving spirit. Ken is a man who unconditionally shares with others, even when he has little. He's a man who loves to be with his friends and enjoy a great meal as well as great laughs. He's also an incredible artist with abilities to create a masterpiece right before your eyes. Ken is also known for his wisdom and advice. He's been touching hearts his whole life. Ken is just 23 years old. But his soul shows it's ancient roots. As beautiful as Ken is, sometimes terrible things occur. This is his story..
On May 11th at around 6:30pm, our Ken went out for a bike ride. During his ordinary drive, he encountered a tragic accident. Our Ken was struck by a car and was left in critical condition with major trauma to the head. He is currently in a coma at Kings County hospital in Brooklyn New York. Kens injuries are severe, and the doctors have done all they could do for the time being. Our Ken is experiencing his toughest challenge yet. He needs everyone's help. We are asking you in genuine appreciation to help us raise funds to pay off any medical bill placed upon his family. Any donation or any prayer is accepted. This is an extremely sensitive time for all of his friends and family. We are all trying to help as much as we can. If you can please find it in your heart to help Ken and his loved ones through this time, we know beautiful karma shall do it's part.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this. We are all praying for a miracle. May God touch Kenichi and bring him back to us.

Update - Hello everyone. We wanted to update everyone on our mission to support the family of Kenichi Nakagawa (Ken). We are happy to say that our goal of $20,000 has been reached and will be withdrawed and hand in to his family soon. The family of Ken sends you all their humble gratitude. We are very greatful for all the love and support that you all have delivered to his family and friends. Ken's memory lives on through the people he has touched. May his soul embrace the heavens as he watches over us in love and honor. #RideInParadiseKen