More than 150 bikers joined a memorial ride-out to mark the one year anniversary of the death of popular Clacton motorcyclist Ronnie Sheehan.
Scores of bikers met at the Full Throttle Cafe, on Thursday March 22, before heading out towards Marine Parade, where a memorial bench has been installed in honour of the 36-year-old father-of-four
His wife Emma said she was ‘overwhelmed’ by the support the family have received.
“Me and the children wanted to arrange the ride-out because the biker community has been so great helping to raise money for a bench for Ronnie,” she said.
“The bench was put in place on March 14, which was his birthday.
“To be honest, I was not expecting that many people to turn up.
“My best friend and I had led the ride out.
“But it was only until I pulled up on Marine Parade that I saw how many people there were and how many bikes had joined us.
“I was a bit overwhelmed with emotion.”
A minute’s silence was held and candles were lit at the memorial bench at the time of Ronnie’s death a year ago.
His four children also joined the ceremony, lighting a lantern each in memory of their father.
Mr Sheehan died following a two-vehicle crash in Marine Parade on March 22, 2017, while riding a friend’s Kawasaki motorcycle.
He collided with a Vauxhall Combo van driving in the opposite direction at around 7.50pm.
An inquest at Essex Coroners Court in Chelmsford later concluded his death was an accident.
Mrs Sheehan described Ronnie as ‘one in a million’ and someone who would always bring a smile to her face.
“He was a cheeky chappy,” she said.
“Everybody said that about him.”
“And he didn’t have a bad word to say about anyone either.
“He was just really fun and a real laugh.
“Everybody loved him.
“I didn’t want the ride-out to be a sad occasion.
“I wanted people to go down to the bench and take a moment to remember Ronnie and share some laughs and jokes.
“He wouldn’t have wanted everyone to be down and upset, he would have wanted them to be happy.”
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