Page 5 - ARUBA TODAY

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U.S. NEWS Monday 24 June 2019
Bikers bid goodbye

to 7 motorcyclists

killed in crash

By LISA RATHKE and PAT- with their club patches and
RICK WHITTLE rumbled in on their Harley-
Associated Press Davidsons. The outdoor
COLUMBIA, N.H. (AP) — A gathering took place on
long-planned Blessing of the property of a former
the Bikes ceremony for church, with bikers park-
motorcycle enthusiasts be- ing in rows in the parking Motorcyclists participate in a "Blessing of the Bikes" ceremony in
came a scene of mourning lot and on the grass on a Columbia, N.H., Sunday, June 23, 2019.
and reflection Sunday as warm, sunny day as ven- Associated Press
about 400 people paid trib- dors sold corn dogs, french
ute to seven bikers killed in fries, pizza, sausage and Kenly, North Carolina. proud of him and I always
a devastating collision with lemonade. "He was a young man who bragged on him because I
a pickup truck . Gary and Sheila Judkins could do anything. I com- knew he was a better man
The victims of the wreck came from Sumner, Maine, peted in all kinds of things than I was."
Friday evening were mem- in part because of the in my life ... and everything Joseph Mazza, Mazza Jr.'s
bers or supporters of the crash, saying being there he tried to do, he beat me uncle who lives in Haverhill,
Marine JarHeads — a New was a way to feel connect- in," Albert Mazza said. "He Massachusetts, said he was
England motorcycle club ed to other riders. was a natural at everything still dealing with the acci-
that includes Marines and "It's a positive thing for bik- ... He was a tough, young dent and trying to compre-
their spouses — and ranged ers. And if anything, bikers guy who didn't know how hend how so many bikers
in age from 42 to 62. need something positive," to quit ... I was always died in one accident.q
"When they fall, we all fall," Gary Judkins said.
said Laura Cardinal, vice Authorities identified the
president of the Manches- dead as Michael Ferazzi,
ter Motorcycle Club, add- 62, of Contoocook, New
ing that fellow bikers will Hampshire; Albert Mazza
support the families of those Jr., 49, of Lee, New Hamp-
who died. "Those families, shire; Desma Oakes, 42, of
they're going to go through Concord, New Hampshire;
a lot now. They have a new Aaron Perry, 45, of Farming-
world ahead of them." ton, New Hampshire; Dan-
A pickup truck towing a iel Pereira, 58, of Riverside,
flatbed trailer collided with Rhode Island; and Jo-Ann
a group of 10 motorcycles and Edward Corr, both 58,
on a two-lane highway in of Lakeville, Massachusetts.
the small town of Randolph, One person injured in the
leaving victims strewn on wreck remained hospital-
the grass amid their shat- ized in stable condition.
tered bikes. The cause of Relatives of all but one of
the crash was under inves- the victims could not be
tigation, and no immediate reached for comment or
charges were filed. their numbers were not list-
Blessing of the Bikes cer- ed. The state attorney gen-
emonies are held in many eral's office said the Ferazzi
locations as a way to give family had asked that re-
prayers for a safe season. porters not contact them.
Sunday's event, situated Mazza Jr.'s family described
about an hour from the ac- the former Marine and fa-
cident site, was expected ther of two as a quiet, self-
to draw maybe 100 or 200 starter who fell in love with
people before it was trans- motorcycles at an early
formed by tragedy. age and always seemed to
The Rev. Rich Baillargeon best anyone he competed
presided, blessing the bikes against. When he got out
using a branch dipped in of the Marines, he worked
holy water as they filed in the defense industry and
by, and held a moment then the construction busi-
of silence and prayer for ness. Along with bikes, rela-
the victims. One biker got tives said Mazza Jr. was
up to say a prayer but got passionate about judo
choked up and couldn't and hunting when he was
finish. The ceremony also growing up. In the past two
included a bugle playing decades, his father Albert
of taps. Mazza said he had very
Many of the bikers wore little contact with his son
jeans and leather jackets partly because he lives in