Early this morning, my Belgian connection gave me the news that Isaac Galvez was just killed during the Six Days of Ghent - how horrible and tragic. Sounds like he collided with another rider and flew into the rail, with full impact on his chest, and died on the way to the hospital. Fans in the stadium and race organizers are devastated. The race was cancelled.

I wonder if people in general, and even cycling fans, fully realize that every rider daily faces the danger of disabling injuries or death. We think of danger when we see a pro rider descending a tricky and dangerous road during the Tour, but the reality is that they daily ride with danger and train with danger on their heels. Who would think that Death would do the Madison at the Ghent Six Day? Condolences to the new bride, family, friends and teammates of Isaac Galvez...

And speaking of sad stories, here, in the Link below, is a follow-up on the suicide of Floyd Landis’ father-in-law. What we cycling fans saw were the headlines from the slime squads, hinting at a connection between Floyd’s Tour de France results and David Witt’s heart-breaking suicide. Which. of course, is nonsense... But this story in the San Diego Tribune tells about the sad and courageous efforts by Rose Witt and the staff at David’s restaurant to keep on keepin’ on, when their devastation from the loss is almost insurmountable.

It sounds like David was struggling with depression, concealing the signs so well that his family and friends only, in retrospect, saw them. Depression is an insidious disease that so many thousands of people are suffering with, and unfortunately, still has a stigma of mental illness that prevents people from seeking help. In fact, depression is a biological, chemical illness that can be from situational or genetic origins. Depression can be treated by your physician just the same as if you had diabetes, or high blood pressure or migraines.

If any of the symptoms in the story about David Witt seem like they are what you are experiencing and feeling, call your doc and get some help that will get you back into life... If not for yourself, do it for your family and friends.