Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/763593
36 nJanuary 2017n www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS by Felicia Morgan SoCal resident Bill Buckingham held the #40 plates for the past two Motorcycle Cannonball runs and was scheduled to arrive in Atlantic City to pick them up again for the 2016 Race of the Century across America. But things don't always go as planned. On August 27, 2016, Bill was tragi- cally killed in a motorcycle accident in Southern California when a driver turned left in front of him in the wee hours of a fateful Saturday morning. The driver stayed and tried to help him, but there was nothing to be done. Bill was one of those very spe- cial people who left an impression with everyone he met. He was a charismatic, funny, intelligent and very loved member of the Cannonball family. He was one of those kinds of guys who simply never met a stranger and had a way of making everyone in his life feel important. All of us con- sidered him a friend. As riders gathered for the opening festivities along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, there was a moment of silence as we remembered Bill and ded- icated this fall's coast-to- coast run to the memory of our very beloved friend. A different rider shared the honor of carrying his number plate each day and a framed portrait provided by Michael Lichter accom- panied the Cannonball entourage during the transcontinental journey. The absence of his presence was felt deeply across each and every mile of the route. But none felt his absence more than Bill's best friend and riding partner, Sean Duggan, who joined the Motorcycle Cannonball in Pueblo, Colorado. He rode with the pack, carrying Bill's number, on a bike that he and Bill had worked on for the run. Sean's presence was a selfl ess act of giving to the group as we shared our love and respect for a great man. Our deepest sympa- thy to Bill's family and loved ones over their tragic loss. A GoFundMe account has been set up to help Bill's daughters with their schooling. (www.gofundme.com/buckingham) 4 WILLIAM BUCKINGHAM III MEMORIAL Cannonballers carry the plate Race of the Century dedicated to Bill's memory Bill Buckingham showed up for the 2014 Cannonball aboard a chopped Knucklehead and rode each and every mile with a smile Riders showed their love for Bill by displaying memorial stickers of his Motorcycle Cannonball number