Family of woman who died in e-scooter accident pleads for riders to wear helmets

Shyan Lolly loved to help people.

Aside from her job as a 911 call taker, her family says she would do anything for anyone if they needed it.

“She worked downtown at different shelters and she loved paying for homeless people’s foods or stuff like that,” sister Victoria Lolly said.

“She was just so nice a person that we can’t imagine, we’re so devastated that she didn’t make it through the scooter collision.”

Shyan was riding a scooter on July 3 in the area of Venables Street and Commercial Drive at 10 a.m. when she collided with the side of a vehicle.

She was not wearing a helmet, hit her head on the ground and was conscious when she was transported to the hospital, but she died from her injuries on July 11.

Shyan’s mother, Olivia, told Global News that her daughter was a very strong person and she was so proud of everything about her 30-year-old daughter.

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But they want the message to reach people that wearing a helmet is so important. It can save someone’s life or lessen their injuries.

“They should wear the helmets to protect themselves in any future injuries or fatal deaths like my sister,” Victoria said.

“Any ages, like youth to older people, I still see them wearing no helmets. It doesn’t matter how old you are or how much you learn to drive, it’s still important to wear the helmet.”

Olivia said wearing a helmet could save another family from a devastating loss like theirs.

The family has launched a GoFundMe to help cover expenses surrounding Shyan’s death.

Vancouver resident Miranda Boire became so concerned about a lack of safety when people are riding e-scooters that she went online and created a PSA about the issue.

“My concerns started growing when I saw a lot of young people riding these scooters in front of my apartment building very fast and recklessly, you know, they’re playing and they’re yelling at each other,” she told Global News.

“I’m not a mom, but they’re kids, and I’m worried about them.”

Boire said she thinks there should be a sense of commitment to community responsibility and safety.

“A lot of other cultures really foster that sense of community and we don’t so much here,” she said.

“And I really believe in just caring about how your neighbours are doing and about the safety of other people. And it would be horrible to have someone get hurt in front of my home and my workplace.”