RICHMOND, Va. -- "This is Jonah," Lilo Navales, holding pictures of her friend, Carla Holland, fondly known by her friends and family as Jonah, said. "Happy on her bike and happy in the water."
After miles in the water and on the road, riding with Holland as a member of Richmond Tri Club, pictures are all Navales has left of her friend.
When she heard her friend was hit and killed by a driver while riding her bike Saturday morning, Navales said her heart sank.
The crash happened around 7:15 a.m. on Osborne Turnpike.
Holland was riding with Natalie Rainer, who is said to be in critical but stable condition.
A GoFundMe for Rainer has raised about $46,000 in just one day. Her hospital bills are expected to be "staggering."
Joshua Silverman, who has ridden hundreds of miles with Holland, said he and a group of cyclists rode through the same area where she died only an hour after the incident.
"When I got on my bike that morning, I was thinking, 'What a great morning to be out on a bike,' and I'd imagine Jonah was probably saying the exact same thing. I knew her so well, I know she was in a happy place," he said. "She couldn't have been happier being out on a gorgeous morning, with a friend, enjoying herself."
He said he was nervous to get back on his bike, after finding out what happened to Holland and Rainer.
"Yesterday I was saying, 'Should I get on my bike or shouldn't I?' And I did, because that's the place I could really kind of take it in, and think about Jonah, and think about all my friends, but it also scares me, you know. I want to get home alive too."
"It's really easy to say, no you should never drive drunk, but I'm also worried about people texting," Silverman said. "You look down at your phone, for a second while you're going 50 miles an hour, you've gone about 90 feet."
"We ask fellow drivers, please be aware of us. We have families. Get on your bike again. Do it in Jonah's honor. She would be really happy that we were doing this for her, and remembering her on this ride, and on any of our rides," Navales said.
A vigil is planned in Holland's honor this Thursday at Crump Park at 6 p.m.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
