Husband, Father, Teacher: Forever May You Fly
The Nystrom family installed this beautiful ghost bike near Udall Park on Tanque Verde Road this week.
Air Force Lt. Colonel Charles Nystrom was killed last August by a drug-impaired driver who apparently sped around cars that had slowed to let him cross the street where he was to visit his family at a restaurant.
Mr. Nystrom was a high school teacher, and I received personal emails from many of his students after he died, not because I knew him (I did not) but simply because my website discussed this tragedy. It was quite apparent from those messages I received that he was an inspiration to others and a gracious man. He was commuting to and from school by bicycle at the time he was killed.
In what I regard to be a terrible embarrassment to this city’s platinum status boosters, the young woman who hit and killed Mr. Nystrom was charged only with a misdemeanor DUI. That means she will likely serve very little time in jail. Had Mr. Nystrom been on a motorcycle or in a car I am confident this case would be treated very differently.
My letters and phone calls to county officials asking them to charge this crime appropriately have gone unanswered.
Of course, the important thing is to remember Mr. Nystom’s life and the impact he obviously had on others. He left behind a wife, two daughters, and a young grandchild.
Forever may you fly, Charles Nystrom. Your family and students miss you.
–Erik Ryberg
January 9th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Thanks for the update and picture, Erik. My S.O. teaches at the school where Charles taught and was his friend and fellow bike commuter. A terrible loss.
We will go visit the ghost bike this weekend now that we know it has been set up. I’m glad his family was able to make it happen.
January 10th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Eric, can you clarify something in the post? DUI misdermeanor? I’m confused. Was she impaired when she killed Nystrom? If so, how is it even possible no other criminal charges(homocide,manslaughter,etc.) are being brought? Is she related to law enforcement?
January 11th, 2009 at 11:41 am
Mark-
This very question will be asked of a Pima
County Prosecutor this coming Wednesday at
the TPC-BAC meeting held at 6:00 pm at the
Himmel Park Library, 1035 N. Treat Ave. A
large turnout would be wonderful! All of
these assaults, hit & run, DUI murders on
cyclists are the biggest blot on Tucson’s
bicycle reputation and NO WAY should there
be a platinum rating given until this attitude
is reversed. It makes my stomach hurt to think
about this stuff.
January 12th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
That’s the first Ghost Bike I have seen with a water bottle! Is that for leaving liquid memorials?
January 13th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
This is shocking to me. I had no idea the woman who killed Mr. Nystrom was impaired! Was this even in the newspaper?
Coghauler, thanks for the reminder, I’m planning to attend the meeting.
I love that the ghost bike has a water bottle.
Mindy
January 14th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
The latest issue of Urban Velo (link on the right) has an article on ghost bikes.
January 15th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Waterbottle=flowervase. Yeah!