Naples Daily News
February 21, 2011
Janet LoFranco was a fighter, helping her husband battle two bouts of cancer, as well as one of her own. So when LoFranco lost the fight for her life this afternoon, she left a void in the lives of the people who loved her. “She was a mom, she was an aunt. She was a sister. She was everything,” said Justin LoFranco, son of Janet LoFranco. “All we can ask for is prayers and support from everyone.” Janet LoFranco, 59, died just after 1 p.m. Sunday at Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, family members confirmed.
She was riding her Trek bike east on the north crosswalk of Estero Parkway at the intersection of Three Oaks Parkway at 10:24 a.m. Saturday when LoFranco rode into the path of a Ford Windstar that Frank J. Auciello of Cincinnati was driving north on Three Oaks, Florida Highway Patrol reported.
LoFranco, who was wearing a helmet, hit the windshield of the minivan and was thrown to the east side curb. She suffered head injuries and was flown by a medical helicopter to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers.
Neither Auciello, 87, nor his passenger, Sheri Auciello, 58, of Estero, were injured.
Her battle lasted a little more than 24 hours, now her husband will fight to cope with the loss of his wife. Ron LoFranco, 62, Janet LeFranco’s husband of 30 years, is unsure if he believes police accounts of his wife's accident. “We’ll see what caused the accident and we’ll see if something has to be changed to protect bicyclists.”
In the most serious type of bicycle accident, an ambulance will be summoned and medical treatment given at the scene. However, if you have been involved in a bicycle accident of any nature, it is essential that you go to the accident and emergency department of your local hospital as soon as possible – this is often better done with the assistance of a friend and not on your bicycle.
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