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In Memory of Samuel Benjamin Hall
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On Sunday, April 25, 2004 a tragic accident claimed the life of Samuel "Ben" Hall. Familiar to many for his foot-long beard, Ben's trademark look was that of ZZ Top on a mountain bike. He was a passionate mountain biker and was taken from us at the peak of his life. Please join us in remembering Ben and celebrating his life.Please join us in this thread.
Who Was Ben Hall?
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Ben would have been 34 on April 26th, the day after the race. He was a fantastic artist with a BFA (University of Western Michigan) in ceramics and had gone to Albuquerque to work on his Master of Fine Arts at UNM. He didn't like teaching, but he loved New Mexico; so he bought a house in Old Town and stayed. He was building a business as a tile contractor doing jobs that required an artistic expertise.He had a yellow dog named Zorra that he loved. She is staying in New Mexico with a good friend, Annie, who took care of her when Ben was away racing. Now Zorra will have to take care of Annie.
Ben was competitive, but I cannot believe he was foolish. He loved racing. We had talked about the danger of not closing roads when a rider was killed last year (I think that young man was from California). I was utterly shocked that riders would be at that kind of risk during a race. He agreed that it was not his favorite kind of race, but said sometimes roads are not closed and that there are people watching out for the racers.
He has ridden bicycles since he was very young and used to sneak out at night and ride his bicycle to his girlfriend's house! He rode home to New Albany from Bloomington, Indiana when he was about 15. It is 100 miles. Someone had to go along in a car because everyone but Ben was worried about him. He beat the car home.
He is "all over my house," having remodeled parts of it. He called the plumbing inspector so many times to look at his work, when he first started, that the man finally begged to be left alone and assured Ben that his work was the best in town.
His ceramic pieces are fascinating and technically perfect. He was more interested in what happened to various minerals in the kiln than in storytelling with clay. His work is beautiful; was beautiful enough to earn his place in graduate school.
He was honest and kind, funny and sweet, and wonderful to his parents. He also has a sister, a brother in law, and a neice here in Indiana. He has a h alf brother, whom he loved, in school in Michigan, as well. (We are his mother and stepfather; his father and stepmother live in Tennessee.) He lived with his sister for five years between undergraduate and graduate school. We thought we'd never get him back in school!! He and his sister were extremely close siblings and Sarah is utterly heartbroken at the loss of her brother. We are trying to get through a minute at a time, but are mostly still sort of in denial. He was too vibrant a human being to be gone.
Ben, in case you were wondering, had never shaved in his life. He said there was no reason to shave. If it was growing there, it was supposed to be there. He didn't cut his hair either for about ten years and then surprised us by shaving it all off because he "got tired of rubber bands getting tangled up in it." He also got tired of his braces and one day I came home to a pile of metal wires in the bathroom sink. He could be exasperating.
He built a volcano in his room when he was about 12 and nearly burned the house down. With garbage bags tied to him, he tried to parachute out of a tree when he was six. The chute didn't open, but only his pride was hurt.
He had something like "perfect pitch," only in color. He was able to match paint flawlessly...when he was only about 9 years old. It was really convenient at the paint store. I just had him look at something at home and knew he had it.
He was the most interesting, truly gifted person any of us in the family has ever known. How could such a person have been taken away... How are we going to endure his loss...
Ben is lost to us, but he will not be lost to New Mexico or to the land that he loved so much. He will be forever in the hearts of the kind people we have met and he will be forever in the beautiful southwest.
Ben's Family
A Note from Ben's Mom
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I would just like to say thank you to all of you who have expressed kind words regarding Ben's death. (It is Samuel Benjamin Hall, but he has always been Ben.)We have just returned to Indiana after going to Albuquerque for the memorial service. I am not okay and do not think I ever will be, but the wonderful people we met, or saw again, who had been a part of his life in racing or in undergraduate or graduate school helped us to be able to face the tragedy while we were there. Your internet words have helped me since I got home last night. All of you were an enormous part of his life.
He did truly love racing and had ridden bicycles since he was able to hit the pedals on my ten speed as they came around high enough for his feet, one at a time. I think he was about six or seven. We have heard a number of accounts of the incident. One will end up being official.
Ben was a fantastic, kind, gifted person. He was one of a kind and we loved him with all our hearts. We are devastated by his loss.
Thank you to your website and forum for allowing me to say thank you. Please be careful as you enjoy your quiet, exciting, healthy sport and do not allow unsafe practices to put you in harm's way.
Sincerely,
Timmy Sorrow, Ben's Mom
timmys@accessky.net
Related Articles
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Velonews, April 26 - Racer killed during Utah mountain bike race Albuquerque Journal - Freak Accident Kills Bike Racer Race Promoter, Cycle Cyndicate - Cycle Cyndicate Lee Likes Bikes - Majesty and tragedy at the Tour of Canyonlands
Memorial Fund
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A memorial fund has also been set up, and donations can be made at any Wells Fargo branch to the Fat Tire Cycles Memorial Fund for Ben Hall. Donations may also be sent directly to Fat Tire Cycles, 421 Montano Road NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107
