Earlier this month, family and friends of Mario D’Adamo III Esq, members of Families for Safe Streets, Greater Philadelphia, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, and Friends of FDR park came together to remember Mario D’Adamo on what would have been his 38th birthday and place a ghost bike in his honor.
“Our family is heartbroken over losing our son who worked so hard to become an attorney,” said Paula D’Adamo, Mario’s mother. “He was killed doing a simple thing – riding a bike in a park. Our prayer is that no family will ever experience the pain of losing a child in such a tragic and avoidable way.”
Mario D’Adamo III Esq. was struck and killed by an attempted hit and run driver on August 4th, 2023 inside of FDR Park. He was riding his bike in the bike lane of the loop road at the time of the crash, something he did often in FDR park. The driver hit and injured a pedestrian and also struck and killed Mario.
A St. Joseph’s Prep graduate, he was “a man for others” whose law practice focused on representing children and indigent families. He spent many summers at the lakes in FDR, where as a youth he played baseball. Growing up he often ran and rode his bike in the park.
“It is unacceptable that we have to talk about a fatality due to dangerous driving inside a public park,” said Chris Gale, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. “Our parks should be safe spaces for everyone, regardless of how they choose to enjoy the park.” Read more about the event: KYW, NBC, and CBS
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We are just 3 weeks away from the 20th annual Philadelphia Ride of Silence, a ride held in memory of bicyclists who lost their lives to traffic violence during the last year. Please join us to remember the 15 cyclists killed in the Greater Philadelphia region since the last Ride of Silence. We ask that if you live near or pass by a ghost bike to remember those who have been lost. We welcome you to add flowers or other decorations so more people will stop to look at the memorial. These ghost bikes are placed at the site of fatal crashes and yet many people don’t know what they symbolize. Read more about ghost bikes, how you can support, and where to find them throughout the city.