Memorial Ride to Honor 15-Year-Old Cyclist Tayeon Villanueva

Belizeans are being invited to hop on their bikes this Saturday and ride in memory of fifteen-year-old cyclist Tayeon Villanueva, whose promising life was cut short late last year. The memorial ride, being held on what would have been his birthday, will celebrate his passion for cycling while raising funds to assist another child battling cancer. Family members say the event is opportunity for the cycling community and the wider public to honor a young athlete whose dedication and talent left a lasting impression on those who knew him.

 

Sheena Smith, Cousin of Deceased

“At the time of his passing, he was fifteen. We found out after his passing that he died from lymphedema. However, the symptoms didn’t show up until maybe about a month and a half before. So he got sick mid-November. We started to see symptoms. We thought it was just a throat infection or something. He started to have swelling. And  we tried to schedule different tests for him, but unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to do all of that. And so on Boxing Day, you know, we got that call. And so,  Saturday is his birthday, and we thought that it would be fitting to honor his legacy with a ride. And so we’re inviting people to come out. It’s not a race. It’s just for us to come and ride together in his honor. Registration is fifteen dollars, and proceeds from that will go towards helping another child who is also battling cancer. We’ve been fortunate to have major support from the Belize Cycling Federation. Belize City Council, Ordonez Bike Shop, family and friends from the US, and also locally our family came together and decided this is what we wanted to do.”

 

The memorial ride begins at six a.m. at the Lord Ridge Cemetery and concludes on Poinsetta Street in the Lake Independence area, where participants will be treated to light refreshments.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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