‘He is so loved.’ California city mourns ‘Tricycle Man’ who had a smile for everyone

Community leaders say Danny Martin, known as the “Tricycle Man” for his adult trike festooned with a U.S. flag and signs praising Jesus, could brighten anyone’s day, KTLA reported.

“We were all Danny’s friends,” Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri said at a packed vigil held Monday night just hours after a collision with a car killed Martin, 61, in the Southern California city, The Whittier Daily News reported.

Partly paralyzed in a decades-old motocross crash that left him in a coma, Martin spent his days riding around Whittier smiling and waving at passers-by, KCBS reported.

“He is so loved in this community,” said Troy Silva, owner of a store where Martin often shopped, The Whittier Daily News reported. “Just a beautiful man full of courage.”

Police say Martin died after being hit by a 2004 BMW while crossing Whittier Boulevard at 6 a.m., an earlier story by the publication reported. Martin was not in a crosswalk or at an intersection, and the driver remained at the scene. No charges have been filed.

A former amateur motocross and supercross champion, Martin spent weeks in a coma following a 1981 crash, KCBS reported.

“They said he’d never walk again, but he didn’t like that,” said brother Bill Martin, The Whittier Daily News reported. “Me and my brother are the same way. You don’t tell us you can’t. You just find a way where you can.”

After a long recovery, Danny Martin began riding his adult three-wheeled bike around Whittier to express his appreciation, according to the publication.

“Danny, for years, since I was a child, has been waving at cars and saying hello and thanking everybody for praying for him, because he was in a coma after being in a motorcycle accident,” said friend Mike Ponce, KTLA reported.

“He just wanted to say thanks for praying for him, because he believed it helped him,” Ponce said, according to the station.

“He seemingly knew every person in Whittier and every one in Whittier would be excited and smile if they caught a glimpse of Danny Martin riding by,” wrote J.W. Davis in a tribute on Facebook. “His smile as he waved to anyone who honked was enough to turn any gloom into a smile just to greet such a dear gentle soul.”

On Saturday, Danny Martin took part in Whittier’s annual Christmas parade, KCBS reported.

“People just loved him, he loved people,” Vinatieri said, according to the network.

Ponce said Danny Martin had numerous previous run-ins with vehicles while riding his tricycle, KTLA reported. In 2016, Whittier residents raised $12,000 to replace his wrecked tricycle and pay for medical care after one such accident.

A GoFundMe account set up by Ponce to help cover funeral expenses had raised more than $11,000 toward a $25,000 goal by Tuesday.

This story was originally published December 17, 2019 at 10:39 AM.