Israeli Tennis Star Is First Killed On Citi Bike

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By Dan Friedman June 13, 2017

Dan Hanegby, Israel’s former No. 1 tennis player, became the first fatal victim of a bicycle accident using New York’s Citi Bike program.

Hanegby, 36, lived in Brooklyn with his young family, and worked as an investment banker for Credit Suisse.

The accident happened during the early morning commute in the Chelsea neighborhood. The New York Times quotes police saying that Hanegby “swerved to go around a parked van, struck a bus next to him that was traveling in the same direction, tumbled off the bicycle and fell under the bus’s rear tires.” Hanegby suffered severe trauma and was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital Center.

Hanegby, who came over to the United States to improve his tennis after serving in the IDF Special Forces, had been Israel’s top player until he began his compulsory national service. He first moved to Binghamton and then to Brown University where he advanced to become the 66th ranked player in America.

While at Brown he was the subject of a fond profile, headlined: “‘Old man’ Hanegby ’07 gets his drive, discipline from stint in Israeli army”. Sadly, this tragic accident has prevented the young father from living up to his college moniker.

Dan Friedman is the former executive editor and whisky correspondent of the Forward, and is the author of a book about Tears for Fears, the ’80s emo rock band.

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