Cyclist killed was top student, creative woman
Posted by The Oregonian October 12, 2007 05:41AM
Categories: Breaking News, Portland
Young cyclist killed in downtown Portland on Thursday had recently returned to Oregon after spending her freshman year at Syracuse University, where she studied journalism.
Tracey Sparling was homesick for Oregon, a close friend of Sparling's said, so she transferred to the Pacific Northwest College of Art.
Sparling, 19, a 2006 West Salem High School graduate and salutatorian, zipped around Portland on her trusty bicycle and on Thursday afternoon was moving through the intersection of Northwest 14th Avenue and Burnside Street when she was fatally struck by a cement truck.
One of her close childhood friends, Jenni Henderson, 19, an Oregon State University student, said she last spoke with Sparling a couple days ago.
"Actually, what's ironic is that she was pretty down when she called me," she said. "Someone at school had run into her bike and bent the wheel so she had to get it fixed."
She said Sparling was a creative woman who wanted to work in magazine design. She worked two jobs, one at the counter of Saint Cupcake and the other at PDX Design Co. Henderson recalled Sparling talked about her jobs, school and her boyfriend, a Portland State University student she'd known since high school.
Henderson said Sparling came from a close-knit family. She had an older brother, Kenny, who lives in California. Her parents, Lee and Sophie Sparling, live in West Salem. Lee Sparling is utility program director for the Oregon Public Utility Commission, where he's worked since 1983.
"She lived a happy life," Henderson said this morning. "I don't think she would have had regrets."
At the Pacific Northwest College of Art, Sparling studied communications design, said dean of student services Michael Hall. He said Sparling transferred to the school this year from Syracuse University. According to a Syracuse Web site, Sparling studied magazine journalism at the university's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and made the Dean's List last spring.
She was just blocks from her Southwest Portland apartment when she was struck and killed.
Hall said the school this morning is setting up a memorial for Sparling in the commons. The memorial will feature Sparling's photograph, flowers and a book in which people can write condolences.
Ed John, principal of West Salem High School, remembered Sparling as an outstanding student whose only B in high school was in Advanced Placement calculus. Though students only need 22 credits to graduate, John said Sparling earned 30 credits. Teachers today remembered her as a student who led in-depth discussions in class and had a strong work ethic.
As yearbook editor and member of the school's newspaper staff, Sparling was well-known among classmates and teachers at the school he said.
"She was just an amazing young lady," he said. "She's one of those girls with an infectious smile. She just lights up."
Meanwhile, late Thursday a ghost bike -- a white bicycle memorializing a cyclist who has been killed -- appeared at the intersection where Sparling was struck.
So far, more than 100 cyclists have chimed in on the city's ultimate bike blog, www.bikeportland.org, where blogger Jonathan Maus has written about the accident and the police investigation.
Sparling was stopped at a red light while on her bike at Northwest 14th and Burnside Street. A fully loaded Rinker cement truck was in the traffic lane to Sparling's left. When the light turned green, the truck and cyclist started to move, and the truck ran over Sparling and her bike. Witnesses said Sparling was in the truck driver's blind spot when she was instantly killed.
Maus blogs that a ride in Sparling's memory will take place tonight at 6:30 p.m. The ride will start from the west approach of the Burnside Bridge.
Readers of Maus' blog said the accident is a harrowing reminder of the dangers facing cyclists. One woman, Tasha, wrote: "This is so horrible! I bike this way every day that I bike. It is really touch and go when cars are making right hand turns. I've had some close calls all along NW and SW 14th, going to Lovejoy and 14th. I feel like crying. Many many condolences to family and friends."The bakery closed early tonight. We are all so upset. She was one of the sweetest people I have ever met. Always smiling, so friendly and welcoming. Like another coworker said, it makes you stop believing in karma.
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