White House Staffer Killed in Bike Collision
Participating in Ride to Conquer Cancer
On Saturday afternoon, 34-year-old Jacob Thomas Brewer died during a charity ride when he lost control of his bike and collided with an oncoming car in the opposite lane, according to the Washington Post. Brewer, an avid cyclist and mountaineer, was participating in the 160-mile Ride to Conquer Cancer from Washington, DC, to Mount Airy, Maryland, and back.
As a senior policy adviser in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Brewer was known for his bipartisan efforts to bring technology and programming education opportunities to young people.
In a statement released by the White House on Sunday, President Obama said he was “heartbroken at the tragic loss” of one of his advisers.
“Armed with a brilliant mind, a big heart, and an insatiable desire to give back, Jake devoted his life to empowering people and making government work better for them,” the statement reads.
Brewer is survived by his wife, journalist Mary Katharine Ham, and his two-year-old daughter, Georgia. Ham is seven months pregnant with their second child.