Friends remember cyclist killed on Sanibel as Ironman athlete, cancer survivor and mentor

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA, (WINK) — Back in March, WINK News first told you about a cyclist killed in a crash on Wulfert Road on Sanibel.

Now, friends and fellow cyclists are remembering Richard Albom not just for the way he died, but for the life he lived.

Wednesday night, the Sanibel Bike Club dedicated its annual Ride of Silence to Albom, an avid cyclist, Ironman athlete and stage four cancer survivor whose death continues to shake the cycling community on the island and beyond.

Cyclists rode silently through Sanibel as part of the worldwide event held each year to honor cyclists killed or injured on the road. But this year’s ride felt especially personal.

“The Sanibel Bike Club is dedicating this year’s ride to Richard Albom, who we tragically lost,” one organizer told riders before the event began.

According to a statement released by Albom’s family, the 73-year-old Englewood, New Jersey resident was riding southbound on Wulfert Road in March when a driver crossed the center line and hit him head-on. He was a snowbird on Sanibel.

Albom’s family says he was more than just an experienced cyclist. He was a retired semi-professional Ironman triathlete, husband, father, grandfather and stage four cancer survivor who had recently returned to training for another Ironman race.

One of Albom’s closest friends, Patricia Szriftgiser, met him 26 years ago at a gym in New Jersey.

She says Albom quickly became her coach, mentor and training partner.

“He always was the guy calling you before a race to wish you good luck, and the first guy calling you after a race to congratulate you,” Szriftgiser said.

Friends describe Albom as disciplined, driven and deeply compassionate.

“He was a very, very compassionate, empathetic, nice man,” Szriftgiser said. “The world is going to miss a very, very, very valuable human being.”

She said Albom approached every challenge in life with determination — including cancer.

“This man’s willpower was made out of steel,” she said, describing how Albom fought through stage four cancer and worked his way back to training and competition.

Cyclists say Albom loved spending time on Sanibel, where he regularly trained on the island’s bike paths and roads.

During Wednesday night’s ceremony, organizers read part of the Ride of Silence poem aloud to the crowd:

“Tonight’s ride is to make others aware the road is there for all to share.”

Now, Albom’s family says they are looking for more answers about the crash.

In a statement released this week, the family questioned investigative steps taken in the case and called for further scrutiny surrounding the investigation. WINK News is looking into this.

For many who knew Albom, though, the focus remains on remembering the man behind the headlines.

“A very valuable human being,” Szriftgiser said through tears. “They don’t come that often.”