‘My dad loved me’: Deadly crash leaves Colorado Springs family mourning, local business steps in

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Over the weekend, a man was killed in a motorcycle crash near Palmer Park in Colorado Springs.

It happened Saturday night, leaving a family to pick up the pieces. Cody Ray was identified by the El Paso County coroner as the man killed in the crash.

He leaves behind his wife, Hannah Sturdivant, and three kids. They are a 9-year-old named Connor, a 3-year-old named Lilyana, and Elijah, who had only been born seven weeks ago.

“He was our rock,” Sturdivant said. “He was the strong one. He was the one who supported us financially.”

Sturdivant told 11 News Ray was from Arkansas. His family lives out there, but he moved out to Colorado Springs to be with his wife. Sturdivant said their relationship had its ups and down, as many do, but they had still been able to settle down and build a family during their 10 year relationship.

“I thought I was gonna spend the rest of my life with him,” Sturdivant said.

As her family works to move forward, a local business is working to get them the resources they need to do so.

Ray worked at Cheers Liquor Mart, a local liquor store, as a delivery driver. He had been working there for two years, and his co-workers said he made a big impact, both on the business, and on the customers he helped.

“He was a great driver, we had many customers ask for him,” said Kendra Lippy, an office manager at Cheers. She told 11 News she and Ray were close.

“He was always very electric, very goofy, everybody loved him,” she said.

Cheers recently shared a GoFundMe to help out the family. You can find the link here.

“This is diapers, this is food on their table, this is their rent money until they can just figure out how they’re going to make this new life work for them,” said Kim Green, who works on advertising for Cheers.

Sturdivant said she appreciates the help, but more so, she wants to share Ray’s story and give the community a chance to get to know him.

“He grew up catching snakes and frogs. He loves fishing. His favorite food is steak. He loves his children. He worked every day to support us. Financially, mentally, physically,” she said. “And he loves to grill. He would pull the steak right off the grill and just eat it like that. He didn’t even need a plate.”

Besides working on vehicles and going out on ATVs and boats, his kids added that he had other hobbies, as well.

“He liked to play baseball and he liked to play catch. And he liked to ride his motorcycle,” Connor said.

“My dad loved me,” Lily told 11 News. Her dad’s nickname for her was Lily Bug.

“He was very proud of all his kids,” Sturdivant added.

As for baby Elijah, he will not be able to get to know his dad in person; however, he was named by Ray before he passed.

While Sturdivant works to share Ray’s story, she said she is also hoping to return his body to Arkansas to be buried.

“I want him to be buried here,” she said, “but his whole family is in Arkansas. So that’s where he loves to be and that’s where he needs to be.”

And as she works to make that happen, she said the community Ray has built since moving to the Springs has shown up for support. Some of Ray’s fellow riding friends recently showed up for the kids, she said.

“And they came out and threw the baseball with [Connor] because his dad’s not here to do that with him anymore,” she said.

Sturdivant also wanted to share a message of concern for other bikers. She said despite precautions, such as a helmet and body armor, Ray was still killed in a tragic crash. She warns drivers to be extra cautious on the roads and riders to do the same.

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