Lebanon family mourns second son again in motorcycle accident

His family in Lebanon says Adam Parker lived by the motto: “Live now, not tomorrow, because tomorrow is never planned.” Photo courtesy of the Parker family

When Adam Parker loved something, he was fully committed to it.

Whether he was riding his dirt bike, fixing lawn mowers, or fishing with his friends, he threw himself into these activities with boundless enthusiasm. Even after losing his older brother Nathan in a motorcycle accident two years ago, he didn’t let fear stop him from enjoying life.

Adam Parker also died in a motorcycle accident on Cider Hill Road in York on Tuesday. He was 17 years old.

“As much as we hate it, he did what he loved,” his mother, Sarah Parker, said in a telephone interview Friday as she prepared to make funeral arrangements for another son. “He probably wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. He knew there were risks involved in everything he did. He didn’t stop living his life because of those risks.”

The accident was one of at least three fatal motorcycle crashes in Maine in the past week, along with several others that left people injured. York County Sheriff Bill King said he was concerned about those numbers and wanted to launch a campaign to encourage people to be more cautious. He said motorists need to share the road and motorcyclists should also be cautious when riding.

The Parker children grew up riding motorcycles and dirt bikes. Nathan was always safety conscious and was wearing all of his safety gear when he died, his mother said.

And Adam, nicknamed the “Wheelie King of Lebanon,” was always careful when riding his father’s motorcycle and did not do any tricks.

“He knew that every time you sit on a motorcycle you are close to death,” his mother said.

Sarah Parker and her husband Daniel were shopping on Tuesday night when they received an alert from a location app that something might be wrong with Adam, who was riding his father’s bike to the beach. They immediately left the store and sped to York, but stopped in Berwick to call police. A dispatcher told them their son was conscious and to go to Portsmouth Regional Hospital immediately.

York Police said they were alerted to the accident shortly after 8pm by an emergency call. Emergency services began treating Adam on the scene and took him to hospital, where he died a short time later.

“They tried their best to get our boy back, but his injuries were just too severe,” said Sarah Parker, speaking on behalf of her family.

Police are still investigating the accident and have told the family little about what might have happened. Sarah and Daniel Parker believe their son misjudged a curve and knocked over a fire hydrant. The decision to let Adam ride the motorcycle that evening was particularly difficult for his father, said Sarah Parker.

“He taught his boys to ride. He knows it’s not his fault, but part of him as a father wants to take responsibility,” she said.

THE FAMILY MAKER

Adam Parker grew up in Lebanon, a rural town on the Maine-New Hampshire border that’s small enough that most people know each other. He was the third of four children and was always strong-willed, his family said.

Long before losing Adam and Nathan, the close-knit family had already experienced other tragedies: A fire destroyed their home, a car accident injured both parents, an accident with a saw seriously injured Daniel Parker. Through it all, they relied on their faith, Sarah Parker said.

Adam had his own problems, his mother said. When he was born he couldn’t hear, which delayed his speech development and required speech therapy as a young child. He was also severely dyslexic, his mother said. But he was a doer.

“He was strong-willed. You couldn’t tell him what you wanted unless you presented it to him in a way that he could decide for himself,” Sarah Parker said.

Adam’s entrepreneurial side was already evident in elementary school. He would sell his Matchbox cars, Pokémon cards, and snacks to other kids on the school bus. He would come home and proudly tell his parents, “I have a hundred dollars!”

He later won trophies in wrestling tournaments and earned a black belt in karate – achievements that made his parents particularly proud.

Nathan Parker, left, and his brother Adam, far right, died in motorcycle accidents two years apart. Photo courtesy of the Parker family

Adam attended the local public school until seventh grade, but then decided to homeschool because he didn’t like the typical school environment, his mother said. Homeschooling was more suitable for Adam, who enjoyed experimenting with many things. His interests led him to his research.

Always keen to fix anything, he started buying old lawn mowers to repair and sell. He enjoyed working at Brian’s Trailer Repair in Berwick and was looking forward to meeting his first niece, who is due in a few months.

“Whatever was on his mind, he did it and he did it well,” Sarah Parker said.

A tragedy strikes

Nathan Parker, the family’s eldest son, was driving along a winding stretch of road bordering Milton Pond on June 15, 2022, when he collided with an oncoming car. The 19-year-old’s death sent a wave of shock and grief through his family and the community.

Nathan, who had played football at Noble High School, was the type of teenager who brought stuffed animals to every resident at the nursing home where his girlfriend worked. He was very close to his family – especially Adam, her younger brother Caleb, and her older sister Makaila.

“Nathan lived his life to show others how to care. He had the spirit of the Lord in him and that’s how he lived his life,” Sarah Parker said. “He wanted others to see that love.”

Sarah Parker said the family’s grief was compounded by the way the accident investigation was conducted. Police said Nathan crossed the center line and collided with the oncoming car, but witnesses told the family the car was over the line. Some media reports suggested police were considering whether drugs or alcohol were involved, but according to the family, Nathan was not impaired in any way.

After Nathan’s death, all of his siblings struggled with the loss, but they were determined to move on with their lives and give back to the community.

“Adam picked up what Nathan left behind: He tried to be a friend to others,” said Sarah Parker. “If one of his buddies was going through a difficult time, he was there right away.”

“LIVE NOW, NOT TOMORROW”

Adam’s love for motorcycles was not diminished by the death of his brother.

He would meet up with friends to ride dirt bikes and often show off his wheelie skills. He once sent his mother a video of himself doing a mile-long wheelie on his dirt bike, and it nearly gave her a heart attack, she said.

Adam never let fear hold him back.

Caleb Parker, 16, said his brother always said, “Live now, not tomorrow, because tomorrow is never promised.”

In the days since Adam’s death, the family has received an outpouring of support from the community. Friends and acquaintances have reached out with messages of support and memories of Adam. They have offered to raise money for the Parkers, drop off meals or do anything else they need. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family cover expenses.

Sarah Parker is asking anyone who knew Adam to send photos and videos of him to include in a slideshow she plans to create for a celebration of life on July 27 at Journey Church.

“We ask people never to mention his name. Talk about him,” she said. “I prefer that because then they keep his memory alive.”

She says she finds comfort in talking about her sons. The losses have been hard on her family, but they have stuck together and held on to their faith to get through it.

“I feel good because I know and hope that we will see our two sons again,” she said. “One day we will be reunited.”

Copy the story link

” Previous

Next ”