Dozens of bikers rode through Edmonton on Sunday in honour of a motorcyclist who died after hitting a deer.

Around forty motorcyclists gathered for a memorial ride for Marc-Andre Helie, 36, a father of three who was killed on June 9. 

Riders drove through the city ending up on Anthony Henday Drive near the scene of the accident, where they held a moment of silence and said a prayer.

An organizer of the ride told CTV News that it was emotional for everyone in attendance.

“Today especially for Father’s Day, him being a father, me being a father-grandfather and a lot of people around here are fathers.  Whether you know the victim or not it really strikes home this could be a ride for you, this could be a ride for any one of us today.”

In October, Helie’s wife – Steffi Stuetz – was also killed in a crash on the same stretch of Anthony Henday Drive. The couple leaves behind three children aged five, six and eight.

Darlene Reid a friend of the family who had worked with Stuetz said she was in shock when she received the phone call about Helie’s death.

“They are such a good family and such good kids and Marc is such a good guy, quiet, humble. Lots of integrity in that family and it’s so sad because they just don’t deserve it,” Reid said.

She also said that the kids seem to be doing okay under the circumstances and are staying with their grandma on their mother’s side.

“They seemed to have accepted it, they’re in grief counselling, it’s obviously still a shock” added Reid.

She believed the kids were spending Father's Day in Calgary with their grandma and great-grandparents.

She said because the accident happened so close to Father’s Day the kids had made gifts that they never got to give him.

“It’s just sad because they prepared these gifts and made these crafts in school and daycare and couldn’t give them to their dad.”

Reid also said that their grandma made a list of all the other dads they knew including their grandpa and uncle, and they were going to pick one to give their gifts and cards.