A St. Thomas woman who died while vacationing in Ireland is being remembered by her family as someone who loved life, exercise, and taking care of her family and strangers alike.

Helen Valks, 73, was cycling across Ireland with her husband, riding along a picturesque rural road when her bicycle collided with a tractor. In the aftermath, her family — while reeling from the loss — is reflecting on the many decades of joy they say she brought to them.

"Obviously we're still finding our way through the fog. It was such a tremendous shock, but compared to the last week we're all doing much better," said Jeff Valks, Helen's son.

Ireland's National Police and Security Services said they're investigating the collision that killed Helen, appealing for witnesses and disclosing that a tractor and

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