“Nick” Nickolas Pete Stamatakis was born on March 23, 1999. He was a sweet, caring, loving young man right from the start. He loved making us laugh and absolutely idolized his older sister.

Nickolas was naturally curious and loved taking things apart just to see how they worked. His goal was to become a diesel mechanic, which didn’t surprise any of us in the least.

He had a great love of the outdoors. Camping, hunting, fishing, skateboarding, but most of all riding his dirt bike. He got his first one for Christmas when he was five. We taught him to be careful, wear his safety gear, and always ride with respect.

On August 16, 2014, our lives all changed. Nickolas was riding his dirt bike when he collided with the trailer of a diesel truck while riding home. He had on a helmet and goggles. The only thing he could’ve done differently was stop before crossing the highway.

In a split second our sweet son, brother, uncle, and grandson was gone. He had ridden where he wrecked a million times. He and his friends had played on those hills for years.

We aren’t entirely sure what happened at the time of Nickolas’ crash. The road he had to cross isn’t heavily traveled, but it is used by coal trucks in our area, which gives people a false sense of security. He was literally two minutes from home. He was only 15 years old and, like any kid his age, thought nothing like this could happen to him. Unfortunately, for our family, it did.

We want anyone who reads our fallen rider’s story to take away a lesson from it. No matter how unlikely it seems, things can happen to any of us at any time. So practice the best safety you can with any and every motorized vehicle or situation.

With our love,

Nick’s family