Following the recent tragic death of Olympian and World Championship winning cyclist Melissa Dennis (née Hoskins), her parents, Peter and Amanda, and her sister Jess have released a statement through the national cycling federation, AusCycling.
Hoskins died on New Year’s Eve, after the mother of two who was married to Rohan Dennis, was allegedly hit by a vehicle in Adelaide on the evening of December 30.
The 32-year-old died from her injuries in the hospital the following morning and Dennis was reportedly charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care and endangering life.
The death of Hoskins – who raced on the track and road until retiring from professional cycling in 2017 – sparked an outpouring of shock and sadness on social media, that also highlighted the meaningful impact she had had on so many.
The statement from Hoskins’ family is as follows:
Words cannot convey our grief, sadness and the tragic circumstances of Melissa’s passing.
Myself, Amanda, Jess and families, are utterly devastated and still struggling to process what has happened.
Not only have we lost a daughter and sister, her children have lost their mum, a freewheeling spirit, a giver with a big heart, patience and zest for life.
She was the rock of their life and ours and we need to honour her memory so they can grow up knowing who she was, what she stood for and what she gave to everyone whose life she touched.
The outpouring of sadness and support has overwhelmed us. In her short life Melissa has had so many positive touch points in and around the world.
The funeral will be held in Perth, her hometown, with a memorial service in Adelaide after the Tour Down Under.
We now need to deal with our grief privately and will be making no further comments. We ask that media please respect our privacy and that of Melissa’s children.
Peter, Amanda and Jess.
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