In his ultimate Instagram submit Saturday afternoon, Burbank resident {and professional} trumpet participant Roy Wiegand celebrated his newest milestone with an enormous breakfast burrito.
The 60-year-old extremely marathoner and bike owner was refueling after traversing 2,500 miles on his bicycle in 25 days and within the course of elevating $26,000 to assist enhance entry to wash ingesting water for the Navajo Nation.
Wiegand ventured by way of San Francisco and Yosemite and braved 110-plus diploma warmth in Demise Valley and Las Vegas. He loved beautiful vistas in Arizona and New Mexico and stayed on the properties of mates and strangers alike, his posts confirmed.
Burbank resident Roy Wiegand runs by way of the Burbank Tennis Heart as part of his 80-mile journey from Anaheim by way of Burbank to Santa Clarita in an undated picture in honor of 12-year-old Christopher Wilke, who died in March 2014.
(Libby Cline)
The trip, one among his many philanthropic campaigns, together with fundraising for clear water in Ethiopia, was his final.
Shortly after making the submit, Wiegand was struck and killed by a pickup truck round 12:45 p.m. close to the city of Prunedale, based on the California Freeway Patrol.
A 25-year-old driver of a pink Ford Ranger become Wiegand as he was driving his Lynskey highway bike within the bicycle lane. Wiegand hit his head on the truck’s windshield and was declared useless on the scene, based on the CHP. An investigation is underway.
Roy Wiegand on June 10, 2014, earlier than operating an 80-mile trek to boost cash for the Michael Hoefflin Basis for Youngsters’s Most cancers.
(Roger Wilson)
Wiegand, a trumpet participant who carried out with the Who, Wayne Newton and Mel Torme amongst others, is survived by his spouse, Angela, son Dillon, daughter Sophie and father Roy Sr.
In the previous few years, he had devoted a lot of his time to philanthropic causes, most just lately working with the water advocacy group DigDeep to boost cash for the greater than 700,000 American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals who lack entry to wash, dependable water in the USA.
The information of Wiegand’s loss of life devastated his household, mates, allies and supporters.
“It’s troublesome to talk with out tearing up,” stated Wiegand’s longtime pastor and pal Kurt Christenson, 63. “In case you have a look at the social media posts about him, he was a person of selflessness and humility that was solely matched by his generosity and fearless spirit.”
Buddies say Wiegand had astounding athletic endurance, which he tried to make use of to help the charitable causes that have been near his coronary heart.
Round 2009, Christenson stated he witnessed Wiegand’s “boundless vitality” on a two-day biking journey alongside Route 33 from Ojai to Mt. Pinos. Wiegand accomplished the 100-mile trek that went from sea stage to only over 8,500 ft in elevation, solely to return dwelling the subsequent night for a musical gig.
“It was a mountain go that went up and down so, in actuality, it was one thing like 24,000 ft of climbing,” stated Christenson, who was the senior pastor of Wiegand’s church, Salem Lutheran of Glendale, from 2008-18.
That very same 12 months, the then 45-year-old Wiegand entered the Los Angeles Marathon and completed one hundred and fiftieth total and 137th amongst males with a mark of three hours and eight.36 minutes. Greater than 14,000 runners completed the 26.2-mile race.
Burbank resident Joe Wilke, 56, admired Wiegand’s athletic feats, however he was additionally in awe of his pal’s humility.
Wilke and Wiegand have been fathers who met by way of Boy Scouts round 2010, based on Wilke. Wiegand’s son was 5 years older than Wilke’s baby, Christopher, however they have been concerned in mutual fundraisers and actions.
4 years later, then 12-year-old Christopher Wilke was recognized with a uncommon type of bile duct most cancers. Christopher was Youngsters’s Hospital of Los Angeles’ first-ever affected person to be recognized with the illness and died two months later.
Shortly after Christopher’s loss of life, Wiegand devoted runs to Wilke’s son and others by way of the Santa Clarita-based Michael Hoefflin Basis for Youngsters’s Most cancers, which helps the households of kids with most cancers.
“He was moved by Christopher and Christopher’s story when it occurred and wished to do one thing domestically,” Wilke stated. “He regarded towards the large image and I shared his imaginative and prescient.”
In 2014, Wiegand ran solo 80 miles from Angel Stadium to Santa Clarita on the Fourth of July to boost $48,000 for the inspiration in honor of Christopher.
Scott Colley, a Ventura County sheriff’s forensic scientist, barely knew Wiegand, however might hardly overlook him.
Wiegand was finishing an 80-mile run in 2015 when he stopped two blocks wanting the end line. There he noticed Colley’s son, Nick, who was in a stroller, having been recognized with a uncommon cancerous malignant rhabdoid tumor. Wiegand pushed the boy to the end line, the place they have been met by cheering followers and members of the media.
Burbank resident Roy Wiegand on June 10, 2014.
(Roger Wilson / Workers Photographer )
“It was one of many coolest moments of my life,” Colley, 54, stated. “I believed he could be so drained, however he as an alternative was laid again and chatted with us afterward. I’ll always remember that kindness.”
In Burbank, Wiegand was a member of the religious anti-development group referred to as Save Burbank Neighborhoods and created a YouTube program referred to as “The Mike & Roy Present” to push again towards developments that he felt ruined the character of his city.
“He didn’t consider in backing down, both out operating or relating to his city,” stated longtime pal Jim Casey, 63. “He believed in Burbank.”
DigDeep, the group devoted to increasing water entry, established a memorial web page for Wiegand, who raised almost $37,000.
“Think about pedaling 2,500 miles to assist individuals you’ve by no means met,” stated Cindy Howe, a local Diné primarily based in Thoreau, N.M., who leads DigDeep’s Navajo Water Undertaking. “That’s the type of coronary heart we misplaced.”
