FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A memorial for a Fresno bicyclist hit and killed while riding his bike near Woodward Park in 2021 has been vandalized.

The memorial stood on the corner of Audobon Drive and Friant Road but has since been removed.

“We’re trying to make his memory live on. It’s just sad, it’s really sad,” said Diana Moore Durham, Paul’s older sister. 

61-year-old Paul Moore taught at Kerman High School for 24 years and retired in 2021.

Earlier this month the ghost bike, painted in white and cemented into the ground placed in his memory was vandalized overnight.

“We were heartbroken because our intent to put up the ghost bike was a reminder to drivers to be careful that something tragic happened right here,” she added. 

Diana said a woman walking on the trail at Woodward Park saw a man prying pieces of the bike and eventually pulling it out of the ground.

“She said he was high on something because they tried to stop him from doing it and he ignored them and continued to take it apart, they called 911 and the police came and took him away,” she added. 

Paul was hit and killed while riding his bike back in January of 2022.

On top of the ghost bike, there is a bench memorial on Sugar Pine Trail and his wife started a scholarship fund that helps seniors graduating from Kerman High.

Although it has almost been two years, Diana feels the loss of her brother like it was yesterday.

“It’s hard because I live near here, I drive by this corner all the time getting on and off the freeway… I try not to ride over here because it’s really hard but to do a lot of the riding I have to do I have to get across Friant so it’s difficult,” she said.

She says the city held onto the ghost bike for them and family friends have since repaired it and though they were ready to put it back up, the city is now working to revise its memorial policy, where a memorial can be placed, and how long it can stay up.

She says just wants Paul’s memory to live on.

“He was on the road a lot of people will tell you he was very safe, all it takes is one day, one mistake and it’s all over. I know they still have plans to improve this corner but it feels like it is taking forever,” she said.

The family says they hope to get another memorial put up very soon, in the next several weeks.