Friend’s death inspires cyclist’s drive against drunk driving
By JOCELYN BETHUNE
Halifax Chronicle Herald
May 5, 2007

SYDNEY — Ian Chiasson will be in constant motion over the next three months spreading the word against drunk driving and memorializing a dear friend.

The New Waterford cyclist launches Memories in Motion from Victoria, B.C., on Wednesday to raise money for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Mr. Chiasson’s best friend Michael George MacLean was killed in May 2004 when an impaired driver crashed into his car. Mr. MacLean’s 20-year girlfriend Angela Smits also died in the collision on Highway 4 near River Bourgeois, Richmond County. The couple was returning to Sydney from Yarmouth, where Mr. MacLean had just graduated as a paramedic. The couple had planned to become engaged.

"This is something Ian has wanted to do since Michael was killed," Nick Denny, president of the Cape Breton chapter of MADD, said Monday, just a few hours after Mr. Chiasson boarded a flight to the West Coast.

"They were best friends. They started school together, graduated from Riverview (High School) together," Mr. Denny said, adding Mr. MacLean’s birthday was in May, so Mr. Chiasson "wanted to start as close to that date as he could. This might be the only time he will be able to fulfil this dream."

Mr. Chiasson will distribute red ribbons and magnets with the slogan Victims Are Our Number One Priority along his route, which will take him through at least 22 MADD chapter areas. He expects to cover 100 kilometres daily, says a release announcing the tour’s logistics.

Funds raised will be given to local MADD chapters. In areas where MADD does not have a chapter, the money will be split between the national and Cape Breton offices.

Mr. Chiasson’s progress will be on the Internet at madd.ca.

Mr. Denny said plans are underway to welcome the cyclist home to Cape Breton in August.