TJ Day liked riding his bike to and from work at Walgreens. It helped him stay fit and gave him time to wind down in the evening.
He wore a reflective vest, helmet and added lights to the front and back of his bike for safety. He did everything right, said his sister Kelli Day.
Still, TJ was hit by a car on his way home from work on Feb. 18.
Another driver who found him in a snowbank on Lovers Lane near Stryker Way after the hit-and-run. That driver stayed in contact, and later offered to buy TJ a new bike. But in the meantime, supporters of TJ had already raised more than $20,000 to buy him a car.
As of Thursday, March 6, a GoFundMe Kelli organized has raised $23,427, with a goal of $28,000.
TJ has always been apprehensive about driving, but now he’s more nervous of biking, Kelli said. The generosity of his community will help him get a safe and reliable car.
That’s a lie, though. There’s no way to safely drive a car unless you fuck up the infrastructure for every other means of transportation, including walking.