Cotton was struck by a vehicle on Savannah Highway in Adams Run, South Carolina, according to WCSC, a television news station based in Charleston. He died at the scene of the crash, according to Charleston County Deputy Coroner Supervisor Brittney Martin. The dog was injured but survived.

Jenda Cotton, Kris’s mother, has set up a GoFundMe page to help her with expenses related to his death.

“Kris touched the lives of many in our community and in his travels,” wrote Linda M. Hilerio and Margaret Risha, on behalf of Jenda, on the fundraiser. “Let’s help him in this last adventure and bring him home to his family. Donations can also be mailed to Jenda Cotton, 314 County Route 47, Saranac Lake, NY 12983.” More than $2,500 had been raised as of Wednesday evening.

Donations will also go to help Kris’ dog Ava, who is recovering from her wounds. Jenna hopes to travel to South Carolina next week to return her son and his dog to New York.

Kris was biking around the country with the 7-year-old Ava, cycling from New York to the Florida Keys, when he was interviewed for a story by the Coastland Times newspaper of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

“I’m just doing it because I love it,” he told Coastland Times reporter Danielle Puleo in July. “I love biking, and I wanted to do something again before she (Ava) got too old.” Cotton had said he and Ava left New York in May.

After the crash, the Coastland Times talked with Jenda about her son and his travels.

“He really did love it,” Jenda said. “I know he was doing something that made him happy.” Jenda told Puleo that Ava suffered internal bleeding and a broken jaw in the collision.

“Ava is a people person, and she was his ambassador,” Jenda told Puleo. “They went everywhere together, and met so many people.”

There will be no calling hours, and a full obituary is expected to follow at a later date, according to Jenda. South Carolina deputies are investigating the collision.

——

Read the Coastland Times interview with Cotton in July here.