P.E.I. motorcycle community honours fellow rider killed in crash

A motorcycle ride for a P.E.I. man who died in a crash last weekend got more support than expected Saturday.

Ryan Mullally, a 33-year-old from Kingston, P.E.I., died after the motorcycle he was driving collided with a pickup truck on the Trans-Canada Highway in Charlottetown last Saturday.

Mullally was supposed to go on a ride the next day with fellow rider Danielle Martin and a few friends. So, after hearing about his death, Martin put together a ride to raise money in support of his widow and four young children.

"Ryan was a good friend of mine," Martin said.

She said she has only been part of the motorcycle community on P.E.I. since May, but in that time became close with Mullally.

"The support has been crazy," she said. "I was expecting 20, maybe 30, bikes. I was not expecting the whole of P.E.I."

Martin estimates up to 150 bikes, some with multiple riders, were at the event. She said the RCMP and North River Fire Department had to be called to provide an escort because of the numbers.

"It's just been incredible, absolutely incredible," she said.

Martin suggested a donation of $10, but she said no one has given that amount. She said most of the cash was in $20 and $100 bills.

"As a biking community… I know how strong everybody is when situations happen like this, so I know if this was on the other foot they would do this for anyone else," she said. "It just feels right to do it for him."

She said she hasn't had time to count the proceeds.

Chad Wilson, Mullally's neighbour, participated in the ride.

"It's pretty heavy in the heart," he said. "I have a one-year-old daughter myself and I couldn't imagine leaving her behind. It's pretty tough to think about."

Wilson said when tragedies like this happen it always reminds him to be cautious on the road.

The ride started at the parking lot of Boom Burger in Charlottetown — from there you can see the stretch of highway where Mullally died — between Upton Road and Milky Way.

"Knowing he was up there actually makes this even more special because that's the last place he was on his bike," Martin said.

"It's very hard to look up there and see the marks and everything on the road, but I don't think, from what I knew of him, he would have wanted it any other way."

Martin said on top of raising money she just wants to show Mullally's widow there is support out there if she needs it.

"If she feels like she is alone, I just want to let her know she is not," she said.

The Charlottetown police spoke to a witness of the collision, but are looking for another witness who may have driven by the crash.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen what happened or has video to contact the Charlottetown Police Services at 902-629-4172.

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