A Saint John senior died in a bike crash. His friend feels his death was ignored
CBC
Robert Burke passed through life quietly, says his friend Caroline Burhoe.
The 85-year-old west Saint Johner lived alone in a modest mobile home. His only vehicle was a bike outfitted with an electric motor, which he'd ride around town suited up with a headlamp and reflective gear.
"He was very poor," said Burhoe, sitting in her late friend's living room, now mostly empty. "This is what he was used to."
Burke died on the afternoon of Nov. 5 after his bike collided with a vehicle at Metcalf and Adelaide streets in the city's north end — part of the official 4.5-kilometre bike route, called the Campus Harbour Connection, between the University of New Brunswick in Saint John and the uptown.
No news release was issued by Saint John police about the fatal accident, and there was no media coverage.
But Burhoe wants people to understand who her friend was: a hard worker, a lifelong athlete, a father of two — and most important, a good man and loyal friend.
"I just want justice for Bob," she said.
Burke's wife died after about 25 years of marriage, and he and his sons were estranged.
His friendship with Burhoe started with a mutual loss.
Burhoe and her husband, like Burke, had lost a large portion of their life savings to an unlicensed real estate, mortgage brokering and investment scam.
In 2016, she tracked down Burke's address and went to the house, looking for information that might help her case.
"I had a hard time getting him to open up the door," Burhoe said. "He didn't trust anybody."
Over the months that followed, their relationship evolved into a close friendship.
They'd meet regularly to visit, chat and walk together at the Irving Nature Park.
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This First Person column is the experience of Mehdi M. Kashani, who lives in Toronto. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.
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