Motocross rider Joel Evans' fiancee Michaela Hurt reveals pregnancy in gut-wrenching tribute after his death
The fiancee of motocross rider Joel Evans has revealed 'our silver lining' that she is pregnant, penning a gut-wrenching tribute following his death on Sunday.
Evans, 30, crashed in the top-level MX1 race at the ProMX Championship event in South Australia and later died in hospital.
Tributes flowed from around the sport on Monday before his partner Michaela Hurt shared that 'the hardest day of our lives has been made easier knowing a piece of you lives on'.
'Yesterday we lost the most incredible person on this earth,' Michaela wrote.
'The most authentic, loved and kind-hearted soul. He loved and devoted his life to this sport which brought him so much joy and he rode it out right till the end.
'We are so grateful for the outpouring of love and support for our beautiful man.
'He is such a loved partner, uncle, brother, friend and son but most proudly a father to our adored little boy who is joining us in October.
'Please share his name, share his legacy, this incredible man deserves to be remembered across the generations. We love you so much Joely.'
The long-time couple were engaged in October last year.
Evans' family shared their heartbreak and vowed to support Michaela and their unborn child.
'I am lost for words, but I'll try,' sister Alex wrote.
'On Sunday I lost so much more than a brother. You were my best friend, the godfather to my babies, it felt like twins, you were such a piece to my puzzle. My boys were so lucky to have you.
'To our best friend Michaela I wish I could take your heartache and pain. I promise to support, care and love for you and my gorgeous boy coming as best I can. The way Joely would want me to.
'To my family I'm sure people get through this, it will take time for us to navigate that.
'You are suppose to still be here, this was not the way it was meant to be, I don't want to believe it and in this moment I honestly am not sure how to do it without you.'
Alex married Evans' fellow professional motocross rider Luke Reardon, and the couple became parents for the second time in February.
'We were meant to do this together,' Alex wrote on a photo of Evans with Michaela's pregnancy test.
'Your little man will be so loved I can't explain. I'll make you proud and I guarantee Luke will step up like you did when he couldn't be there.'
Luke said he was 'speechless and hurting'.
'But looking back on our memories and what a hell of a time we have had over the years,' he wrote.
'From our racing days to training days to our little getaways, just the four of us, soon to be our extended family of seven. I'm going to miss it all.
'You left us far too soon mate, but I can tell you one thing! Your little man is going to grow up and make you so damn proud & his little cousins are going to be right there by his side.'
Evans' sister Renae had earlier described him as 'the best brother a girl could ask for and an even greater uncle for my girls'.
Evans, who also raced in Asia, had previously overcome a serious crash in 2015 that nearly left him paralysed.
After a week-long induced coma he learned how to walk again and returned to riding within a year.
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