Bernalwood is saddened to report that Neighbor KC Jones, a proud resident of Bernal Heights and vibrant member of our community, passed away last week following a bicycle accident.

Bernie Hirschbein shared a lovely tribute to KC on the Wild Side West Facebook page:

My best friend…my de-facto brother KC passed away last Thursday. It still seems so unreal, and I am so very devastated.

On Friday evening 6 weeks ago we were at El Rio eating the free oysters and having a couple drinks, just like always, and the next day I learned he was in a bicycle accident and was at SF General. I rushed over and he was just coming out of surgery. He had suffered very severe brain damage and was in a coma, and he never came back.

KC was an amazingly vital person, so intelligent and kind. He was just so very special. I learned of his passing while Wendy and I were having Shabbat dinner in Tel Aviv, Israel with my lifelong friend Joel Dzodin, his wife Suzanne, his daughter and son-in-law, and his young granddaughter. It was comforting to be among friends, but nothing could really ease my feelings of loss.

I still think of calling him to share the nice bottle of wine I brought back from Israel. I still think of calling him to help me with computer issues. It’s just so unreal that he is gone.

My deepest condolences to his wife Beth, his daughter Hana and his son Sam, and to all the other family members and friends that loved him so much. My life will never be the same.

This hits close to home for Bernalwood as well. Neighbor KC was active in Bernalwood comment threads, and your Bernalwood editor always appreciated his calm demeanor and keen sense of humor. We send condolences to Neighbor KC’s family and friends.

PHOTO: KC Jones via Facebook