Community honors cyclist Alex Rozos; calls for enhanced bike safety measures
By Neydja Petithomme
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ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — On Friday, Aug. 2, friends and family gathered at Cultivate Climbing in Asheville to pay tribute and celebrate the life of Alexander Rozos.
On Thursday, July 18, Rozos was on a bicycle traveling West near the 300 block of Swannanoa River Road around 11:42 a.m. when he was struck and killed by a white box truck traveling in the same lane and direction.
The driver of the truck was identified as Mauricio Roberto Melgar Delgado, who left the scene before officers arrived.
Michael Rozos, Alex’s father said that Wednesday, July 17 was the last time he and his son were together.
We sat right out here… He talked about how just completely in a state of Zen, satisfaction he was with his life and that’s when he made the comment about if he died in an hour from that moment, he felt like he hadn’t wasted a second. He said: ‘I’ll see you back here tomorrow, same time,'” Rozos said. It was not until the following day that he found out what happened.
“When I went home to change out of my work clothes… APD was at the door,” he said.
Alex’s celebration of life included climbing, a fireside gathering where individuals shared memories of Alex and a ceremony near the fire.
For Michael, this remembrance sheds light on the wonderful life Alex had and the call for change for cyclists.
If we just save two lives a year by advancing bike safety in Asheville faster, then in a decade, that’s 20 people. What’s it worth to save 20 people so they don’t have to go through what I’m going through this week?” he said.
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