On September 12, 2023, we received a knock on the door at 3:30 a.m. and received the worst news any parents could ever hear: “She didn’t make it.” Our lives, along with the lives of many others that loved Ciarra, were forever changed from that moment in time.

At 1:00, Ciarra headed to work on her bullet bike. Six minutes into her ride, she attempted to go around a corner. Something in that corner stopped her from completing it. Her bike was laid over and it hit the curb. Ciarra was thrown off her bike into a tree, hitting her head. She was wearing a helmet, but the impact was too great for the helmet to save her. We were told the impact took her life instantly.

Many parents say this about their children, but Ciarra was a true light. She had a pure soul and truly loved life. She was adventurous and good at including everybody. When she walked into a room, everyone knew she was there. She loved so many people and made sure to show people she cared for them. She loved going places and was always the first one in the car ready to go. Ciarra rode her entire life. She started on a four- wheeler of her own at the age of 4 and moved on to a dirt bike at the age of 12.

Ciarra had so many plans for her life and was going to accomplish so many things. She wasn’t done living, and we, as her family, are truly broken by the fact that we won’t get to see her do all those things. Losing her at the young age of 18, when her life was just starting, is heartbreaking.

The message we have as Ciarra’s family is this: Ciarra was a phenomenal rider (she even desert raced her dirt bike). However, when it comes to motorcycles on the road, it doesn’t matter how good of a rider you are. There are so many other variables that come into effect when riding a motorcycle. Your situation can change within seconds, and you aren’t protected from the metal of a car or truck. You aren’t invincible; it could very well happen to you too, just as it did to Ciarra and all of us who continue to grieve her. If you insist on riding a motorcycle, always wear proper gear and abide by the laws. If you don’t ride, always look twice for a possible biker as they are harder to see.

Ciarra was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and we lost her because of it. We love and miss her very much and our world lost color without her here. It’s we who are left behind that suffer every day, trying to navigate our lives after such a tragic loss. Ciarra leaves behind a big, beautiful, blended family of four parents, three siblings, and many grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. We will miss her until it is our time to be with her again.

All our love,
Ciarra’s Family