Family and friends of an Ottawa man killed in a motorcycle crash last weekend are preparing to honour him at a memorial service on Thursday evening.
54-year-old Mike Jefferies, an avid biker, was killed last Saturday when his motorcycle collided with a minivan in front of the St. Laurent shopping centre.
His son, Barry Jefferies, rode motorcycles with his father for as long as he could remember.
He spent the day preparing to ride his father's motorcycle.
"Today was the first time in eight years my dad hasn't been around to help me grease my chain," he said. "He's been around motorbikes longer than I've been alive and he just loved doing it all the time."
The father and son used to ride together along with members of the biker's church in Vanier. They had planned a cross-country motorcycle trip for this summer.
"I had said on Saturday after the accident that I'm never going to be riding my motorcycle again, but…I know my dad has made this decision for me, and I will be getting back on my bike again," Barry Jefferies said.
"He didn't even have to think about helping people it's just who he was," Jefferies added. "If you didn't like him you were going to like him by the end of his conversation with you."
Hundreds were expected to gather for a memorial service at the Biker's Church to share stories about the avid biker.
On Saturday, a motorcycle procession is planned in tribute to Jefferies before his funeral.
With files from CTV's Ellen Mauro.
