A couple cycling through Napa Valley, California, died last Tuesday after they were struck by wood sticking out of a truck passing by. Both were working as senior executives at Nike at the shoemaker’s headquarters in the US state of Oregon.
While Christian Deaton was the vice president product and merchandising at Nike Swim, Michelle was an EQ Design Studio Director who had been working at Nike for over 23 years.
They had been married for 21 years. While Christian, 52, died on the spot of the accident, his wife, 48, died after she was taken to a hospital, The Oregonian quoted the local police as saying.
The wood, or lumber, had shifted to the right side of the flat-bed truck, and some of it hung off the vehicle, hitting the cyclists who were biking on Silverado Trail on the outskirts of Napa last Tuesday, the newspaper reported.
The driver, a 55-year-old man, stayed at the scene and cooperated with the investigators, NBC reported.
The Deatons, who loved adventure, travelling and music, were mourned by their friends who were shocked by their untimely death.
“I don’t yet have the words to describe the magnitude of this loss. My heart is full from their love. My mind is full of amazing memories with them. My soul is absolutely obliterated by their loss,” their friend Cholee Thompson wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of the couple.
“I will give better tribute as I can. Rest in a life well lived my dear ones.”
“Life was their hobby – there was never a moment where they weren’t going to make the most of it,” Thompson told The Oregonian.
Photos on Christian Deaton’s Instagram account numerous moments of their travels and adventures together. In 2022 alone, they had travelled to countries like Kenya, Seychelles and Rwanda. They also regularly attended music concerts, as proven in photos from bands like Pearl Jam, Metallica and Tears for Fears.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
