The family of fatal cycle crash victim Martha Susan Hoopes was expected to fly back to their home in the US yesterday, after receiving an outpouring of condolences and well-wishes from Islanders.

Mrs. Hoopes, 39, died on Monday after apparently loosing control of her rental cycle, colliding with a van travelling in the opposite direction on Middle Road, Southampton.

Her nine-year-old daughter Ashley, her pillion passenger, was seriously injured after being pinned underneath the van.

Yesterday, the US media reported that Ashley was set to be transferred from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital to a Chicago hospital.

A hospital spokesperson yesterday confirmed that the daughter had been discharged. And the hotel the family was originally staying at said they checked out on Wednesday.

However, a family friend in Texas, told The Royal Gazette they checked into another hotel, on Wednesday, to be closer to the hospital.

It was reported on news web site thefacts.com, based in Texas, where Mrs. Hoopes' mother lives: "Reached at her Lake Jackson home Wednesday, Susan Hoopes' mother, Martha Vining, said her daughter was a great person who was deeply religious.

"She could not have been a better mother, daughter, sister, wife and aunt," her mother said. "She was the best that anybody could ask for. She had a great love for the Lord."

"Susan Hoopes is the daughter of Roy Vining, who served as Lake Jackson's mayor from 1972-74.

"Ashley Hoopes was recovering from her injuries at a hospital in Bermuda late Wednesday and is set to be transferred to a Chicago-area hospital Friday, said Richard Bellis, a family friend who travelled to Bermuda to help the family."

Mr. Bellis was quoted as describing Ashley's condition as "very sore".

"She had some serious injuries. She's a very lucky girl," he stated in the article.

Mrs. Hoopes' family consists of her husband Steven, 47, daughter Ashley and son Alex, six. The family had travelled to the Island for a spring break vacation.

"Steven's devastated," Mr. Bellis was also quoted as saying. "He was just madly in love with her. They were joined at the hip."

In the days following the accident, Mr. Hoopes was too distraught to speak to the media himself, but has relayed his thanks and appreciation to the people of Bermuda.

Back home in Illinois, the non-denominational church Mrs. Hoopes was a trustee at, was devastated.

The pastor of the Kenilworth Union Church and Mrs. Hoopes' friend, Reverend Jane Lionberger paid tribute to her.

"She was a woman of very strong faith," she told The Royal Gazette, "and not in any sense do I think that God brings this kind of thing about. I think we, as a faith community, will all be struggling with that here.

"But I would want remembered how much Susan loved the Island and how much she was just really looking forward to being there on her vacation."

According to the justthefacts.com article, Mrs. Hoopes is originally from Lake Jackson, Texas and grew up in the area, graduating from Brazoswood High School in 1987.

She was a stay-at-home mother and a former investment banker with a master's degree from Rice University.