Fatal bicycle accident incurs a “ghost bike” memorial

Tracy Milillo, a 22-year-old Emmanuel College graduate, was killed on September 9, of this year while riding her bicycle near 29 Longwood Avenue.  A local motorist, who witnessed Ms. Milillo’s bicycle fall to the ground and stayed with her until officials arrived, originally thought he had hit her bicycle with his car, but forensics has shown that is not the case.  Captain Michael Gropman of the Brookline police says they do not know why the bike fell, but it was not a result of impact from that car.  It simply did not happen.  Ms. Milillo died from her injuries within 48 hours after being found unconscious at the scene.  To raise awareness of bicycles on the road, a memorial has been set up at the scene of the crash.  Included in the memorial is an all white painted bicycle, along with a placard in honor of Ms. Milillo.  Flowers have also been placed at the site.  The Brookline police department says it is unusual for a “ghost bike” to be placed at the scene, but Davide Watson, executive director of the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition says that is a tradition happening at fatal bicycle accident sites all over the country, although the MBC was not a part of placing the bicycle at this site.