Wife of Manitoba motorcyclist killed in Highway 9 crash will 'always be an advocate' for road safety

CBC News

· Posted: May 04, 2025 9:57 AM EDT | Last Updated: 12 minutes ago

A week aft a 30-year-old antheral was killed portion riding his motorcycle on Highway 9, riders from crossed Manitoba marked the commencement of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month astatine a rally extracurricular the Legislative gathering successful Winnipeg connected Saturday. 

Winston Supena, a begetter of 2 young children, was killed connected April 26  erstwhile his motorcycle collided with a three-ton motortruck astatine Highway 9 and Mitchell Bay, successful the agrarian municipality of St. Andrews, astir 25 kilometres northbound of Winnipeg. 

He was pronounced dormant astatine the scene. 

The 67-year-old motortruck operator had his licence suspended and constabulary said alcohol is believed to person been a origin successful the crash. RCMP said their investigation into the clang is ongoing.

"On behalf of the government, I americium truthful atrocious for your loss," Waverley MLA David Pankratz said, addressing members of Supena's family, who were successful the assemblage astatine the information period rally connected Saturday. 

As the upwind gets warmer crossed the province, Coalition of Manitoba Motorcycle Groups president Peter McDonald warns some drivers and motorcyclists to enactment alert and ticker retired for each other.  

"We're conscionable trying to marque for a harmless riding season," McDonald said. 

Supena's widow, Mica Orcullo-Supena, told CBC that contempt their grief, her household was astatine the rally to enactment a origin her precocious hubby cared profoundly about. 

"Being harmless connected the roadworthy and centrifugal information is an important happening for him, and for everyone. So we wanted to travel support, particularly during our mourning," Orcullo-Supena said. 

"It's an honour for him,"  she said. 

Widow volition 'always beryllium an advocate' for roadworthy safety 

Shortly aft the rally, Orcullo-Supena joined dozens of loved ones astatine the St. Andrews clang tract wherever her hubby died for a vigil, organized by volunteers of the 204 Neighbourhood Watch assemblage group. 

She told vigil-goers that her hubby — who was well-loved for his passionateness and consciousness of humour — would person been blessed to spot the outpouring enactment the household has received since his passing.  

"Love, wherever you are, I anticipation you spot and I anticipation you cognize however overmuch radical emotion you, and however overmuch you made an interaction connected each of our lives," Orcullo-Supena she told the assemblage astatine the vigil, dependable wavering arsenic she spoke into the microphone.  

"I anticipation you spot that our assemblage cares, your motorcycle friends and everyone are present for you," she said. 

Motorcycles roared arsenic members of Manitoba's motorcycle assemblage pulled up connected the broadside of the roadworthy to wage their respects to Supena. 

One of his friends, Archie Bernardo, said Supena "felt similar a brother," getting choked up portion telling the assemblage Supena got him into riding motorcycles and brought him into the community. 

"I cognize he's successful a amended spot now, he's up determination riding endless highways [with] upwind that's ever clear, with nary worries," Bernardo said, encouraging different bikers to enactment harmless connected the roads. 

"We each knew however overmuch of a passionateness helium had for riding and that's wherefore I'd similar to ever beryllium an advocator for information connected the roads," said Orcullo-Supena.