Father killed in a freak accident, bikers roll out to support his family

June 19, 2021June 19, 2021 Callenbest Top News

SARALAND, Ala. (BIKER DAD) –Bikers are rolling out to support the family of a father killed in a freak accident. Travis Langley loved cutting trees almost as much as he loved riding his Harley Davidson his daughter told me fighting back tears. He worked for years trimming trees before giving it up. But then, even in his late 50s, he answered the call to climb back up those trees. “57 years old and 70 feet up in a tree and he loved it,” his daughter Ashley Johnson told me, “he loved the tree work.” It’s a very important job on Alabama’s Gulf Coast where frequent tropical storms topple trees. Even as we spoke at the VFW in Saraland, Tropical Storm Claudette was threatening more damage.

Father killed in a freak accident, bikers roll out to support his family

“He was a loving man, a giving man, he did a lot for others in the community,” Johnson told me. That included riding for veterans heroes on Patriot Guard missions and taking part in too many charity runs to count. All of that came to an end on June 7th. His friend Sandi Jackson told me what she could about what happened, “his harness was getting tighter by the minute but, he was hanging so high that his men could not get him down and called 911. The Saraland Police Department tried to save him but, he was without oxygen for too long.” His family takes some solace in knowing he died do the job he so dearly loved.

Father killed in a freak accident: How bikers are helping

“He loved his bike” Johnson said. That’s why the family is asking for bikers to show up for his memorial in force. The memorial is on Tuesday June 22nd. They’re asking anyone who rides to meet on Water St. at the ExxonMobil in Mobile at 1, on June 22, 2021 for a procession to the service. Kickstands up at 1:45. “Following the ceremony at 4, everyone can go to Pop’s to sing our brother their favorite karaoke song,” Sandi Jackson told me he loved karaoke, “he would get a BIG kick out of this.” CLICK HERE FOR THE INFO. Everyone is welcome even if you don’t ride.

“That man knew a lot of people. He rode in a lot of bike rides,” Johnson said. So she’s expecting a large turnout of support.

There will also be a biker benefit on July 10th at the Saraland VFW. Details on that are still being worked out.

What type of man was he?

A tragic loss for his daughter who loved him so much. It’s especially heartbreaking given it happened just before Father’s Day.

“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover,” Johnson said, “he may have been an all rough and tough biker dude. But he’d give the shirt off his back to help somebody.” Family says he loved to talk about history, the Bible and politics. Especially politics. He was ready to give his opinion any time anywhere. Even if you didn’t want to hear it, they told me with laughter. He wrote poetry too. But most important his daughter says, “he was a God fearing man.”

“He touched a lot of lives,” she said, “and he made friends everywhere he went.” Johnson says most people would be surprised about how active people like her dad, bikers, are in the community. “I think if you just look at him. You wouldn’t think he was as giving as he was. I wouldn’t looking at a man like him. But he was and he did a lot for others.”