Editorial | Vashon lost one of its best

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Vashon lost one of its best last week.

Maridee Bonadea, a beloved islander, lifelong cyclist and steady presence in this community, was killed while riding her bike in West Seattle — on a commute her wife said she had made hundreds of times.

Showing up as a journalist on one of the hardest days of people’s lives is never easy. It requires extra care, extra questions and a willingness to hear “no.” It means giving grieving people every chance not to speak, while also understanding that many do want their loved one remembered fully — not only by the circumstances of a death, but by the shape and meaning of a life.

That is part of what community newspapers can do at their best. We can tell these stories closer to home, with more tenderness and more context, because the people in them are not abstractions. They are our neighbors, friends, teachers, ferry companions, riding partners and familiar faces in town.

Bonadea’s death is, first, an immeasurable loss to those who loved her. It is also a public safety tragedy that deserves public attention.

We hope Seattle transportation officials will closely examine the stretch of road where she was killed, including whether parking near the curve limits visibility for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. If changes to parking rules, signage, traffic calming or street design could prevent another death, they should be made quickly.

Vashon residents rely on West Seattle streets every day to reach ferries, jobs, appointments, protests, schools and home. Those routes should be safe for people traveling by car, bike, bus and foot.

A ghost bike now marks the place where Bonadea died. It should not only be a memorial. It should be a warning, and a call to act before another family and community are left grieving.