Popular Cycling Officials Edison “Vintage” Usher and Kadeem Banks Die in Bike Crash
The Cycling Federation of Belize has lost two members of its team in a motorcycle accident Sunday. It happened when the Annual Women’s Cross Country Cycling Classic was underway from San Ignacio to Belize City. News Five’s Marion Ali has the tragic story.
Dion Leslie
Dion Leslie, Vice President, Cycling Federation of Belize
“Mr. Banks and Vintage, or Usher – Edison Usher – were on their way to cover the race live, do the live-streaming for the Federation on our Facebook Page, which they’ve done for many races throughout the season and before that, and they were on their way there a little bit after seven, we got a phone call that there was an accident.”
Marion Ali, Reporting
The news about that accident between miles forty-one and forty-two along Cotton Tree Village on the George Price Highway cast a somber air that would hover over the entirely of the seventy-two-mile race. Cycling official Kadeem Banks was killed instantly when the motorcycle he drove ran over off the side of the road where a small piece of concrete protruded from the ground. His colleague, Edison “Vintage” Usher, injured, was taken to the Western Regional Hospital. But three hours later, while the race was about halfway on its journey, doctors at the hospital broke the news that he too had succumbed. Police explained what they have uncovered about the accident.
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood
ASP Fitzroy Yearwood, Communications Director, Belize Police Department
“Both men were flung in the air and landed on their faces. When the officers arrived on the scene, both men were unconscious.”
The news of the men’s passing has shattered the cycling world.
Dion Leslie
“The entire federation, the cycling family, their extended families, you know everyone is just in shock because something like this you don’t expect it. In cycling I can’t remember something of this magnitude causing such a tragedy like this. All of us, even getting up this morning it’s surreal. Of course, Vintage was an entertainer. The SanCas family for Mr. Banks – he worked at San Cas – so all in all, it touched a lot of people.”
The loss is particularly difficult for their blood relatives. Usher’s sister, Pamela Gideon spoke with us via zoom today from Placencia about her brother’s unexpected passing. In one of his last Facebook posts he reflected on four things that can never be regained in life: spent words, missed opportunities, trust, and wasted time. His last line read “capitalize on every moment.”
Pamela Gideon
Pamela Gideon, Sister of Edison “Vintage” Usher
“I do think he capitalized on every moment in life because right through to the end he was doing what he loved. He was out there, he was behind that race, as long as it was with cycling, you could not get Eddie away from it. Friends have called me saying I can’t believe it because Vintage just helped me to move – him and his girlfriend just helped me move some stuff or he helped me build something or I needed help getting something and he made the connection for me because I think resoundingly, that is what people will remember about my brother.”
Edison “Vintage” Usher
Usher, who was also a D.J., died while working the sport that he loved. Cycling fans who didn’t yet know about his accident were wondering why the race was not being streamed live on the Cycling Federation’s Facebook page.
Dion Leslie
“We usually do the live stream with a phone and just stream off our phone to Facebook. But for this Cross Country this Saturday, we had gotten some new equipment donated and we were looking at bringing better coverage for the Cross Country and it was the plan to test it in the race yesterday. So Vintage and Alicia Thompson were working on this last week up until Friday and everything was set to test this new system we were going to use on Sunday. And when the tragedy happened, I can tell you the last thing we were thinking about was live-streaming the race or let’s hurry up get a Plan B.”
Leslie says the Cycling Federation will hire the services of Andrew Ordonez to carry the full length of the Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic live on its Facebook page. Marion Ali for News Five.
