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‘He was always smiling’: Grandfather of Xavier Morgan speaks at memorial bike ride

Click to play video: 'Community members come together to remember 5 year old who died after falling from bike'
Community members come together to remember 5 year old who died after falling from bike
Fire-year-old Xavier Morgan was killed less than two weeks ago after falling from his bike while cycling along Martin Goodman Trail. As Erica Vella reports, a memorial has been placed at the location as a reminder – Jun 3, 2017
A large group of cyclists took part in a memorial on Saturday for the five-year-old boy killed by a vehicle while riding his bike along Lake Shore Boulevard late last month, riding alongside the boy’s grandfather.Xavier Morgan was riding along the Martin Goodman Trail with his grandfather, Scott Morgan, on May 24 when he somehow lost control of his bike and fell into traffic onto the Lake Shore Boulevard eastbound lanes.The five-year-old boy was rushed to the Hospital for Sick Children in life-threatening condition, where he was later pronounced dead.READ MORE: Ghost bike memorial created for 5-year-old boy killed while cycling in Toronto’s west end“When he was hit, it just went silent on the street,” said Scott Morgan to Global News at the memorial. “When he fell, he gave me that look — ‘I’m okay’ — and then was gone. Life can be very short.”Scott said his grandson was “always smiling” and “hugged just about everyone.”
“He was a very happy, spirit-filled boy. I’ll miss him dreadfully. He just loved everybody and loved life.”
Scott, alongside his sister, Brenda, thanked all of those who came out for the memorial bike ride, where a “ghost bike” was locked to a nearby lamppost in honour of Xavier.“It was pretty somber, everybody that came, and there were huge numbers, we all share concerns about our safety when we’re on the road but this outpouring of condolences and shared grief has been most helpful to us.”After Xavier died, Toronto Mayor John Tory demanded a review of the safety of the city’s bike trails.READ MORE: Death of boy, 5, while riding bike in Toronto’s west end sparks calls for safety barriers“It is past time for us to have a hard look at safety on these trails,” he said.The city has since placed temporary barriers along the portion of the Martin Goodman Trail where Xavier fell into the busy area onto Lake Shore Boulevard.“I think the lesson has been absorbed that we need to separate traffic — vehicular and cyclist traffic. There has got to be something better than this,” said Scott.Geoffrey Bercarich, who made the “ghost bike” for the memorial, describes it as a “lighthouse in a stormy sea, a marker that shows that this neighbourhood, this street can take lives. It shows that not everything is A-OK on the streets.”WATCH: City of Toronto pledges to take action on trails after death of 5-year-old
Click to play video: 'City of Toronto pledges to take action on trails after death of 5-year-old'
City of Toronto pledges to take action on trails after death of 5-year-old
Bercarich is one of many cyclists who want to see a more permanent solution than the temporary barriers put into place.

“This could have been one of us and I think that’s why the chord has snapped, because we are all cyclists riding as a five-year-old,” said Bercarich to Global News.

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He hopes that the city can implement a more permanent solution than the temporary barriers put into place, pointing out the barriers could be blown over by the strong winds in the area, prompting more havoc.

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“We want something real.”

Xavier is so far, the only cyclist to die this year in Toronto. Last year, one person died.

There were four deaths in 2015, three in 2014 and four in 2013, according to Toronto police.

Coun. Jaye Robinson told Global News the city will be providing a permanent solution this summer.

“Clearly this was a very tragic incident, we’ve taken this very seriously,” said Robinson.

“We’re heartbroken for this family and so that’s why we’ve really fast tracked it.”

— With files from Erica Vella and The Canadian Press

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