More than three dozen roaring trucks and motorcycles took to the streets in the Vancouver area on Saturday, in honour of a young man who was killed nearly one week ago in the Las Vegas shooting.
Saturday’s memorial ride came one day after what would have been Jordan McIldoon’s 24th birthday.
The Maple Ridge, B.C., native and his girlfriend were in Las Vegas on Oct. 1 for a country music festival when gunfire erupted, injuring nearly 500 people and killing 58 people.
McIldoon’s friends say the memorial ride is what he would have wanted.
One friend told CTV Vancouver that they used to hunt, camp and “rip” around on trucks and bikes together.
Kelly Dutz, manager of Roosters Country Cabaret in Pitt Meadows, B.C., told CTV Vancouver that Jordan was a friend of the community. “We just thought it was something we could do to help out,” she said.
The memorial ride’s organizer, Jeremy Smith, said he still can’t believe Jordan McIldoon was killed.
“He was very charismatic, very humorous,” Smith said. “[He] tried to make the best of every situation … and he just always put everyone before himself.”
As McIldon’s family rushed to Las Vegas, his friends started a crowdfunding page to help with any costs. Others hosted a pub night in his memory.
With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Breanna Karstens-Smith
