When he got that early morning telephone call on July 4, 1987, that his only son had been killed in a traffic accident Dr. Burt Saidel was stunned, his life forever changed.

Saidel said his son, David Alexander Saidel, was an extraordinary young man with intelligence, wit and a real love of life and adventure when he died at the young age of 22.

"David was off on one of his trips and had just climbed Mount Olympus in Greece,” the father said. “He was backpacking in Greece and was hit and killed while on a biking expedition."

Dr. Saidel, a retired Dayton dentist and his wife Alice, have two daughters, Deborah, 51 and Beth, 49.

“Over the years our whole family has participated in helping remember David in a positive way,” Saidel said. “Each year on Memorial Day weekend, we have the Saidel bike ride in David’s honor. We make it a social event for David’s friends, and for those individuals who have benefited from the David Saidel Scholarship Fund.”

Today, May 25, will be the 22nd anniversary of the event which will be held in a large white tent at Carillon Park in Dayton beginning at 10 a.m.

“Some people bike along the path, some take a little walk, and others just stop over for a visit or to have lunch,” Saidel said.

“It is an informal but upbeat affair as we continue to remember David. Included on the menu we always serve Skyline Chili, David’s favorite food.”

Saidel said he and his son were very close. “We biked together. We did woodworking, and built furniture together. We went skiing. We even were working on a book together.”

He added, “David just has a special spirit about him.” After a pause he added, “After his death everything was a shade darker. He is never far from my thoughts. Such is the force of fate.”

David had graduated from Miami Valley School in Washington Twp. and later got his college degree at Washington University in St. Louis. He planned to get a double master’s degree at Harvard, one in sports medicine and another in business.

Education is important in the Saidel family, and the year David died, the family started a scholarship fund in David’s honor. It is now called the David A. Saidel Merit Scholarship Fund and it is administered by The Dayton Foundation.

Donations to the fund have come from the Saidel family and as a result of fundraising events.

“Alice and I also give a cash amount to Miami Valley School each year,” Saidel said. “And we are pleased to host this annual party at Carillon Park.”