RAGBRAI rider dies of Thursday injuries
Fri, Jul 30, 2010 | by Regina Zilbermints
RAGBRAI rider Stephen Briggs died this afternoon from the injuries he suffered in Thursday morning’s collision.
He was 68.
Stephen Briggs (SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER)
Briggs, of Waverly, was riding in a group when he collided with another bike and was thrown off. He was flown to Mercy Medical center – North Iowa in Mason City with a head injury.
He died today at 3:35 p.m.
Briggs was a caring man, his daughter, Karen Moore, said.
“My ringtone, when he calls my phone, is ‘Superman,’” she said. “Because he’s always there for anyone, anytime.”
He loved riding his bike, loved RAGBRAI, and was an experienced rider. He’d ridden the entire RAGBRAI route five times and parts of the route at least five more.
“I had to stop and realize that if he had to go, he went doing something he absolutely loved to do,” Moore said. “One minute he was riding his bike, the next he went to heaven.”
Moore said doctors attempted surgery, but there was too much swelling around his brain.
Briggs was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, in which he clipped the tire of the bicyclist in front of him.
It wasn’t a major collision, Moore said, but was enough to send him off his bike.
The 68-year-old had retired from 40 years in the printing industry.
He was riding with the No Name Bike Club, and several other members were at the hospital today.
He is survived by his wife, three children, and four grandchildren.
Moore was waiting at the hospital for Iowa Donor Network representatives to arrive.
“We hope this tragedy can bring life to someone else,” she said. “That’s what he would have wanted. That’s the kind of person he was.”
* * * * * *
In a separate incident, a RAGBRAI rider was injured Friday when he was struck by a car in Washburn in eastern Iowa.
The Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office says the accident happened just before 12:30 p.m. Friday. It says the car was turning left when it collided with the bicycle.
The bicyclist, 49-year-old Mohammed Al-Marima, of Bloomington, Ill., suffered a shoulder injury as well as cuts to his right leg. He was taken to a Waterloo hospital.
The driver of the car, 25-year-old Joshua Dunt, of Raymond, Iowa, was charged with failure to yield on a left turn.
Black Hawk County deputies also responded to five other accidents Thursday and Friday in which RAGBRAI riders suffered minor injuries after losing control of their bikes.
The Associated Press contributed the second part of this report.
so sorry … the ride is so much fun, it is wonderful that his last act on earth was something he loved doing … much sympathy to his family …
…our prayers and condolences for all of Stephen’s family & friends…he sounds like a great man who touched everyone he came in contact with…what a great legacy….our son Muck is currently finishing his 1st RAGBRAI and was jouined by his brother & sister for the Wed portion…what a great time they and my wife & I had as well just sharing in their moment….blessings to everyone that helped with any of the previous or the current rides…especially to all the 1st responders!
My condolances to the family. At least he did go doing something he loved to do and there’s really no better way to go.
ANY Father whose Daughter thinks of him as Superman – Has got to be a Great Man. My Sincere Condolences and May GOD Grant You PEACE in your time of Mourning. GOD-BLESS.
Our thoughts are with the family. Thanks for the update.
May God grant his family peace during their time of grief. My thoughts and Prayers will be with them.
Its time to end Ragbrai once and for all. It is just too dangerous. Somebody dies almost every year. Its not worth it.
My condolances to the friends and family of Stephen Briggs.
Barry, in a town of 15,000 people… someone dies each week… and many are injured… hopefully not seriously… we could all be killed or injured at any time at home… so no reason to cancel RAGBRAI. It’s impossible to protect us all the time on this planet.
Ya Barry. Perhaps we should all turn in our keys and outlaw cars as well. They are way too dangerous.
Sincere condolences to the Briggs family.
God bless. May as well be doing something you love when leaving Earth.
Uncle Steve you will be truly missed by so many!!! We love you!! To our Aunt and Cousins you all are in our Thoughts and Prayers!!! Uncle Steve was such an amazing Person!!!
my wife and i are deeply sad our prayers are with family and friends
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Briggs family. My mom loves riding with the No Name Team and will truely miss Briggs. I’ve met him a couple times and he was truely a kind man. May God grant you with joy and peace as you remember your loved one in so many wonderful ways.
May good stories of this Superman bring some comfort during this very difficult time for Mr. Briggs’ family. My condolences to all who knew him. God bless.
My sincerest sympathies to the family of Mr. Briggs, aka Superman. May it bring comfort to you knowing he was doing something he loved when he left this life. And as a previous RAGBRAI rider, I have no doubts that he would ever want it to be cancelled! God bless each of you and may his legacy carry on in future RAGBRAI rides.
Steve was just in Europa Cycle a week before RAGBRAI getting his bicycles serviced. So sad, my sympathies to his family.
Condolences to Steve’s family and friends.
It is very hard losing a loved one. My prayers and thoughts are with Steve’s Family.
May this good man rest in peace. May others of us in the ride continue to practice sobriety and ethics, manners and concern for each other.
I am so very sorry. My deepest condolences to the family.