Community mourns loss of Ballito local, Ryan Leach
A number of fundraisers have been started by the community to help Nancy and her daughters through the next few months.
Hundreds of tributes have poured in for Ballito resident Ryan Leach, who tragically died in a dirt biking accident near Glendale on Sunday.
Leach had just turned 31, celebrating the occasion with his wife Nancy and two young daughters, Mila Summer (8) and Ryleigh Sky (1) on Saturday.
An avid dirt biker, Leach was recently spending more time with the sport after purchasing his dream KTM bike two months ago. “He had wanted the bike for about five years and constantly worked towards being able to buy it. His strong-willed personality had him working hard on his bike in the hope that he could soon join more experienced riders on their endeavours,” said Nancy.
On Sunday, during a solo single-track ride near Glendale, Leach had an accident on his bike which left him unable to ride further.
He called his brother-in-law for help, sending a pin of his location to aid the search, but upon arrival the group found only the bike.
Given the difficult terrain and thick bush, a larger search party was needed and family, friends, search and rescue teams, paramedics and the biking community later arrived.
After hours of searching, volunteers found Leach’s body the next morning about 300 metres from the accident site.
“We can only accept that Ryan, being the risk taker that he was, left us with a full heart doing what he loved,” said Nancy.
A resident of Ballito for six years, Leach moved from Johannesburg to be with Nancy who was at that point his long-distance girlfriend. The couple welcomed Ryleigh in April 2021, before getting married in December after their wedding plans were delayed by Covid-19. They never had the opportunity to go on honeymoon.
He was a partner at window company Advance Fenestration, spending time outside work with his young family, fishing, body building and supporting Liverpool Football Club.
“He was a great father, an incredible husband and an unbelievable friend. From the Leach family, we thank the community so dearly for their efforts in the search for Ryan. We are forever moved by the help that flooded towards our family in such a time of need.”
A number of fundraisers have been started by the community to help Nancy and her daughters through the next few months.
If you would like to help, you can donate directly at backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/nancy-ellis-leach or visit the Ryan’s Girls Facebook page where all fundraisers for the family have been shared.
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