By Susan Bickelhaupt,

Boston Globe, Monday, May 28, 1990
 

Rather than wallow in the grief over their son's accidental death, Gerald and Beverly Reuter decided to turn it into something positive.

David Reuter was a 22-year-old student at Northeastern when he took a job as a bicycle messenger two years ago. His first day on the job, he collided with a small truck and sustained severe head injuries. After six weeks in a coma, he died.

The Reuters decided almost immediately to do something so other cyclists could learn from David's accident -- he was not wearing a helmet.

They established a fund at the National Head Injury Foundation, based in Southborough, to distribute free bicycle helmets to children through community programs, as well as educate the public about the importance of wearing a helmet.

So far $10,000 has been raised, and Gerald Reuter was in Scituate recently to hand out the first installment of helmets. They went to the top 10 winners of each grade who entered a poster contest at the Hatherly, Wamphuck and Cushing Schools.

More distributions are planned in both Massachusetts and Plattsburgh, N.Y., where the Reuters live.