Memorial Ride For Aaron Cohen

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Cyclists from all over South Florida gathered Wednesday morning for a memorial bike ride to remember Aaron Cohen.

Cohen was bicycling on the Rickenbacker Causeway on February 15th when an alleged drunk driver struck him and drove off. Cohen, 36, a tri-athlete and avid bicyclist, sustained multiple injuries and was rushed to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He died a day later.

Cohen's widow, Patty Cohen, led the ride in honor of her husband. Enda Walsh, who was biking with Cohen that day and was also struck, also took part in the ride.

"While regrettably I'm not here to tell you a story about how the amazing people at Ryder saved my husband," Cohen told the gathering, "I am here to tell you today how they made the worst experience of may life a little bit better."

Those who took part in the memorial ride, which was hosted by Jackson Health System, hoped to raise awareness of the importance of motorists, cyclists, runners and pedestrians sharing the road. The ride route, which started at Virginia Key Beach Park, traversed the Rickenbacker Causeway and ended at the front of the Ryder Trauma Center.

Before the ride, Cohen said her thoughts will be with him.

"It will probably be hard, I'll be thinking of my husband, thinking of Aaron as we do it," said Cohen.

"I don't think any of us will go over that causeway without thinking of Aaron again, you think of him in a good way," said Walsh.  "You remember him as a friend and remember the good times you had together."

Walsh said it's important for drivers and cyclists to respect each other the road.

"There's a lot of cyclists in Miami and it's a very dangerous sport. We have to keep reminding people, we have to share the roads and be careful of cyclists," said Walsh.  "I think the message to people is 'share the road' is not a slogan or catch phrase.  Share the road is a way of behaving."