‘She Had the Biggest Heart’: NYC Nurse Killed By Motorcycle While Biking Home

The collision, which sent both riders flying, occurred along 56th St. in Sunset Park around 7:30 a.m. last Saturday.

Clara Kang, 31, was pronounced dead at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, where she just finished an overnight shift.

“She took this job to help more underserved areas,” a co-worker told the New York Daily News. “She was checking in on us when she was the one doing the overnight shifts. I can tell you she was a really amazing person.”

Kang, who lived in Long Island, Queens was an immigrant from South Korea. She was on the frontlines when COVID-19 consumed the city.

The crash occurred on Third Ave. and was the site of three other cyclist deaths in 2019.

Earlier this year, Mayor Bill de Blasio reduced the speed limit around the area from 30 to 25 miles per hour (48 to 40 kilometers per hour), according to Brooklyn Reporter.

The male motorcyclist, 29, was on his way to a Breast Cancer Awareness Month motorcycle rally. He was hospitalized “in critical but stable condition,” according to officers, and has not been charged over the deadly wreck.

Elaine Lee, a friend of Kang from university, set up a GoFundMe page to help her family. The contributions will be used for her funeral service, as well as hospital expenses and travel costs for loved ones who came from South Korea and Costa Rica.

“I am still in shock and denial about the news of Clara’s passing. Not just because I had texted with her the night before, but because of the manner in which it happened,” Lee wrote. “She had the biggest heart and lived her life to care for others; not just in her work but in her personal life as well. She was that friend who would reach out when you’re feeling down or sick to make sure you’re doing okay.”

The fundraiser is filled with comments from people who had crossed paths with Kang.

“Clara’s spirit was pure joy to be around. Being her friend was like standing next to sunshine. I will never forget all the fun times we had and memories we shared studying together at UW and traveling together in Kenya,” another friend wrote. “If anyone needed cheering up, Clara was the perfect remedy. I can see why she found her calling as an NP. I will miss her forever.”

A former instructor wrote, “Clara was my student in nursing school. I am so saddened to know she is gone. After hundreds of students, HER bright smile remains engrained in my memory. Clara, the love you have shown will never be forgotten.”

Feature Images via @clarix89 (left) and GoFundMe (right)