Charlotte community activist and avid cyclist made the city a ‘better place for all’ (Charlotte Observer)
John Holmes III, a Charlotte community activist and avid cyclist who once lost a job after standing up for his beliefs, died Dec. 29. He was 29.
Two years ago, Holmes was cast into the spotlight after his Facebook post speaking against the Charlotte City Council’s decision to allow a drive-thru-only Chick-fil-A in an area zoned for transit-oriented development. At the time, Holmes was an operations manager at an east Charlotte Chick-fil-A. He announced the next day on Twitter that he had been fired.
“Do I regret it? Not at all,” he said.
The cycling community planned a tribute ride at 6:45 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, at First Ward Park “to honor and celebrate a beloved champion of our community gone too soon,” Sustain Charlotte said on X. The Mecklenburg County nonprofit, like Holmes, advocates for transportation choices, as well as smart growth.