BRADENTON, Fla. — A Manatee County father was struck and killed while riding his bicycle late last month.
Patrick Franklin Jr. said his father was an avid cyclist. His average route was 35 miles long.
WATCH: Family remembers father of 6 killed while riding bicycle in Bradenton
He would track his father's bike rides using a Garmin device.
"When I got the notification, he didn’t answer, which is very unusual, but, you know, I wasn’t really worried about it, and then I got the news from my sister, Heather, about what happened," said Patrick Franklin, Jr.
Patrick Franklin Sr. was traveling east on El Conquistador Parkway, and a driver in a truck towing a trailer was also traveling east, when a collision occurred.
Franklin said his father was pronounced dead at the scene.
The family said their father was in a designated bike lane. Signs on El Conquistador Parkway urge drivers to share the road. The street also has a posted speed limit of 30 mph.
Franklin said his 67-year-old dad was part of a local cycling club called Village Idiots Cycling Club.
"He did everything right. He was in the bike lane. He wears brightly colored clothing. He has his lights on day or night. He has a mirror so he can see traffic coming," said Franklin.
Franklin said his father started biking while his children were young. His father later took up cycling to stay active.
"He road a bike to and from work, to the grocery store, to the laundromat. Well, that was what he did for transportation," said Melissa Richards, his daughter.
"I mean, he cycled, you know, at first, he was just riding a bike as a necessity, but as he’s gotten a little older, I’d say like the past 10 or 12 years, he’s really been serious about riding his bike," said Franklin.
His family said he had retired from his job as a diesel mechanic and fleet manager less than a month ago. His family was looking to spend more time with him.
"My dad was a wonderful man. He sacrificed everything to take care of his kids. He’d give anyone the shirt off his back. The amount of people that have reached out to the amount of people that came to the funeral. I had no idea how many people that my dad’s life has touched," said Franklin.
The family is urging drivers to pay attention to the road and check twice for bicyclists.
A GoFundMe page is raising money to help the family with unexpected funeral costs.
The Florida Highway Patrol has not said if the driver is facing any charges. A FHP spokesperson said the crash remains under investigation.
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