Sam O'Shea, 27, died after being hit by a motorbike while cycling in France in September 2025. His parents, Paul and Angela, have paid tribute to their son, describing him as "having a great life" with his partner, professional triathlete Lucy Byram.
Early Life and Athletic Career
Due to Paul's time in the navy, Sam travelled the world, living in Portsmouth, Naples, Abu Dhabi, and Thailand, while maintaining strong links to Merseyside, attending as many Everton matches as he could. He started competing in triathlons at age 14 and went to university in Leeds.
During the pandemic, Sam shifted his focus to cycling when he couldn't swim. He supported his girlfriend at events and training camps around the world as a bike mechanic and swim/run coach. Sam competed in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, representing his birth country Gibraltar in cycling alongside his sister Holly, who competed as a weightlifter.
Parents' Tributes
Speaking to the ECHO, his dad Paul, from Kirkby, said: "He was amazing, he really was. He loved life. He was having a great life with his partner, Lucy, who's a professional triathlete."
"He looked after Lucy at every race and set everything up so she just had to do the race, and he worried about the other things beforehand. He never really classed himself as going to work. It was just what he loved doing and he did it every day. It's sad what's happened, but he loved cycling and it was a part of his everyday life."
Angela, from St Helens, said: "That's all you want from your child. In every picture, in every circumstance, he's smiling, he's happy."
Funeral and Foundation
The couple realised how popular Sam was at his funeral in Leeds, estimating between 250 and 300 people attended. Paul said: "He filled both crematoriums. There were people outside as well. It was another amazingly sad day, but it was really nice to see so many people."
Sam's parents have since vowed to keep his memory alive by setting up a foundation in his name, raising almost £40,000. The money will support athletes lacking resources for essential equipment or travel to competitions, and help those recovering from injury who can't afford physio or rehabilitation.
Everton 10k Tribute
Sam's family and friends will gather for a tribute at Hill Dickinson Stadium tomorrow (Sunday October 4). Between 40 and 50 people are set to run in his memory, including his girlfriend Lucy Byram, friends James Scott-Farrington, Jack Willis, Jess Fulliger, and Olympian Gordon Benson.
The event has been publicised by Everton on the club's website and social media channels. Paul said: "It's things like this that keep us going. I just opened the page a minute ago because someone told me about it. It just makes me really happy, but makes me cry. It's so nice and brilliant because, like me, Sam's a mad Evertonian and he would be made up if he knew his face was on their webpage."
The Everton 10k will begin at 9.30am tomorrow. More details about the Sam O'Shea Foundation can be found on its website and JustGiving page.
