'A time to celebrate her, a time for closure'

Five years after she was struck and killed while cycling on P.E.I., the family and friends of Elizabeth Sovis returned to the Island Friday to honour her memory.

Memorial service

Dozens of people packed into a memorial service atCentral Queen's United Church, just a few kilometres from where a drunk driver hit Sovisalong the unpaved shoulder of Route 13in the summer of 2012.

"She died on a Saturday, and we held herfuneral the following Saturday. We were all in shock," said Edmund Aunger, Sovis' husband, who had been cycling with her at the time."But we've had time to heal. This is a time to celebrate, a time for closure."

Make cycling safer

In the five years since his wife's death, Aunger has been bikingthe Trans-Canada Trail from British Columbia to P.E.I., highlighting what he calls serious safety issues along the trail, and pushing for changes to make cycling in Canada safer.

Aunger's journey ended Fridaywhen he, along with his friends and family, biked from the church andup Route 13 to the spot where his wife was hit.

Aungerstrapped the same bike he was riding five years agoto a post, both to remember his wife, and to remind others how dangerous cycling can be without safer roads.

"This is a painful thing to be reminded of. But this is a statement that safe cycling infrastructure is necessary," he said.

A fitting tribute

Heartfelt eulogy

Roadside memorial