ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Friends and family will come together Tuesday night to remember a man hit and killed while riding his bike home from work in St. Johns County last month.
Benjamin Kausch was heading north on U.S. 1 just south of Stokes Landing Road on Jan. 16 when he was hit and killed. The driver took off and has not been found.
Kausch's loved ones put up a "ghost bike" near the scene where he was killed on Tuesday night to honor him. They say this memorial will help with healing since no arrest has been made and the family still does not have closure.
It is said that no parent should ever have to bury their child-- a challenge Lynn Kausch, Benjamin's mother has had to face.
" Its been horrid. My husband passed away in April but we knew it was coming. But with Benjamin...it just...we couldn't believe it. What really has upset me the most is I really feel that whoever hit him is somebody that lives around here and it's not fair to anybody to have your child, or mother, or husband or somebody hit, then runs." said Lynn Kausch.
Dozens of family, friends and co-workers gathered at the restaurant Kausch worked as a chef, The Kings Head British Pub. His boss, Ann Dyke said Kausch's work ethic and giving spirit made him one of a kind.
"We've lost a brilliant chef. And we're struggling at the moment we need another chef. It was just a shock to everybody," said Dyke.
To them, it was more than a ghost bike. It was a symbol of their loved one, honoring the precious memories Benjamin shared with so many. Family and friends are hoping to spread awareness for other bicyclists on the road with the placement of the ghost bike-- just yards away from where Kausch was struck.
"We want everybody to be aware of their surroundings and be cautious of them," Faye Kausch said. "My brother was an avid rider."
Ghost bike memorials have been popping up more and more as bicyclist deaths have been rising. They usually consist of old bikes that are stripped down, painted and donated to the family to put up.
"He was well-liked in his circle, by the families. Benjamin was just one of those happy go lucky people that care about other people. He's my baby, and I just miss him. I miss him very much," said Lynn Kausch.
A ghost bike was also set up for Christian Schroom, who was hit and killed on Anastasia Boulevard.
"There are different types of people using the roads. Just to pay attention," said Heather Neville, founder of Velofest Community Initiative, a bicycle safety advocacy group that helps families arrange ghost bike memorials. "The idea is if you see that ghost bike, you will see a bicyclist that you wouldn't have."
Faye Kausch said she hopes when people see the ghost bike they put up that it makes drivers more aware of those they are sharing the road with.
"When I see them, I am more aware of them now," Faye Kausch said. "With this memorial bike being there, hopefully it will bring more attention and awareness and maybe help our family with what happened."
According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles' website, there are some restrictions to these roadside memorials. The bike should be installed where it does not interfere with pedestrian or vehicle traffic and should not be on public works property, or on private property without permission from the owner.
The website also says that there are no national laws about ghost bikes, so it's important to check with city or county officials as well as the Department of Transportation to see if they have any restrictions before putting one up.
"We don't want it to dissuade people from riding their bikes," Neville said. "We want it to be a positive message and encouraging. Also to remember these people that were doing what they loved."
Faye Kausch said the Florida DOT told the family Tuesday that once her brother's ghost bike is in place, it won't have to be taken down.
As they get ready to hold her brother's memorial and put up the ghost bike in his honor, Faye Kausch is hopeful that someone who drives by and sees it will come forward with information about the hit-and-run so that an arrest can be made.
"I know it's my family's hope that someone will eventually want to put some closure for my family and themselves and step forward to say they made a mistake," she said.