x
Breaking News
More () »

Magnus White's parents start film series to bring awareness to son’s death

With heavy hearts, Michael and Jill White are opening up on camera to share their story of love, loss and anguish.

BOULDER, Colo. — The parents of Boulder County national team cyclist Magnus White have released the first look at a documentary about his story and legacy.

Magnus White was 17 years old when he was hit and killed by a car while riding his bike along the Diagonal Highway in Boulder County. Last week, Yeva Smilianska was charged with vehicular homicide in his death. Investigators believe Smilianska fell asleep at the wheel.

The crash happened July 29. Since then, his parents Jill and Michael White have founded the nonprofit The White Line, hoping to create safer cycling environments while also raising awareness about what happened to their son.

"His story that he could write is over, but we can still continue his legacy or his story for him,” Jill White said.

Magnus White was training to compete in the upcoming World Championships in Scotland when he was killed. 

"Nobody deserves to lose their loved one,” Michael White said. “Too many times their stories are forgotten. They don't deserve to be forgotten. They need to be remembered. Grief needs to be witnessed."

With heavy hearts, Michael and Jill White are opening up on camera to share their story of love, loss and anguish.

They recently released a 10-minute trailer for a film series called "Lives Worth Remembering.” The first episode will focus on Magnus White's story. 

The teaser for the film includes happy moments of Magnus White riding his bike as a child and winning races as a teen. It also captures the heartache as his parents visit the spot where he was killed.

"Cyclists are killed all over the country, all over the world, and the headlines are just written as 'cyclists,' but there are people behind that,” Michael White said. "We want to tell other cyclists’ stories too who have lost their lives by being hit by a car, because they deserve to be told too, not just Magnus’.”

With help from their nonprofit, Michael and Jill White are working to share more stories, spread awareness, and hopefully save lives. 

"We want to be a voice,” Michael White said. “We have to be a voice. Magnus' light was too bright to be turned off, so we have to carry that for him."

The family said they are still capturing footage for “Lives Worth Remembering: Magnus White” and have not yet set a release date for the first film.

SUGGESTED VIDEOSLatest from 9NEWS

Before You Leave, Check This Out