(This letter published in the Oct. 30 edition of The Republic.)
From: Rev. Jane Sims, pastor Calvary Community Church
Columbus
The tragic death of bicyclist Kyla Orlieb, the victim of a hit-and-run accident on Oct. 20, reminds us all of the sacredness and the fragility of life. This unfortunate accident happened in front of our house of worship, Calvary Community Church of the Apostolic Faith. Our hearts are saddened. Kyla was one of our neighbors. We, the members of Calvary Church, along with our senior pastor, Bishop Charles Sims, extend our condolences to Kyla’s family, loved ones and friends in the neighborhood. Kyla was young and vibrant, and rode her bicycle with a passion. We often saw her riding her bicycle in the neighborhood and almost daily on the sidewalks around our Church. It is difficult to realize she is gone from this life, forever.
While Kyla’s death is indeed tragic, it is my hope that it will bring pause to all in our community who share our streets with bicyclist’s, motorcyclists and pedestrians.
The streets around our Church are heavily traveled. It is all too common that motorists traveling on 11th Street between Chestnut and California Streets blow past the four-way stop signs at these intersections multiple times daily, and often at high rates of speed. This includes semi-trailers and industrial vehicles such as dump trucks, etc. Our church members have had several close calls with speeding vehicles that refuse to slow down for pedestrians in the roadway, ignoring the stop signs and the posted speed limits.
We all want to get to where we are going, but when our drive to arrive endangers others lives, it not only puts everyone (including ourselves) at risk, it also diminishes our sensitivity to the sacredness and fragility of humanity.
It is our prayer that Kyla’s life will be remembered with thoughts of joy and peace and that we will all be reminded that “every life matters.”
