OLATHE, Kan. — The family of Craig Henwood and the local cycling community were in mourning Sunday in Olathe.
Henwood, 47, a former state cycling champion, died during the Rage Against the Chainring gravel bicycle race last weekend near Wichita. His bike started to drift left in front of several other riders and he fell over the handlebars, striking hit his head, according to the Reno Country Sheriff's office.
It's unknown whether an underlying medical condition played a factor in Henwood's death.
More than 100 cyclists rode in a memorial race in his honor Sunday in Olathe.
"We are devastated, just torn to pieces," Henwood's mother, Kristine Johnson, said.
Still grieving the loss of her son, Johnson took note that he died doing the thing he enjoyed the most, cycling. She learned Henwood's death through a phone call.
"I felt my son slip away from my heart and I knew," Johnson said. "I already knew when they called me back that he had not made it."
Henwood's family is from Colorado but he moved to Olathe to become an air traffic controller. That's also where he met a sort of second family, the cycling group that honored his memory Sunday.
One of those group members was Jeff Peters, who claimed Henwood as a good friend.
"Numb for several hours and then it started to really set in," he said of his reaction to Henwood's death.
Peters and Henwood created 3 Feet Cycling group, whose mission was to remind people of a Kansas law that requires drivers be at least three feet from cyclists when passing.
"(It) gets the adrenaline going a little bit when a car passes you closely, but I imagine for newer riders or younger riders or people with less experience that's even more drastic," Peters said.
As hard as his death is to process now, Henwood's family believes he leaves an enduring legacy.
"The only way to heal is through beautiful moments like today and knowing that this community will support and embrace his children (and) his wife, that this just does not end," Johnson said. "I don't think anybody could ever fill those shoes, but they can peddle right along side of them forever in their hearts."
To honor Henwood, the family said they're creating an annual race called the Hemi Gravel Ride, which will take place in October.
