Shannen and Corey Whittington’s lives were entwined with motocross.
So much so, they married on a date — June 9, 2023 — that corresponded with his race number of 963.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Motocross rider Corey Whittington laid to rest.
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“Team #963 for life, bro and broette,” Shannen said at her late husband’s funeral last week.
Sunday, April 14, started off like any other race day — with Whittington “on a high”, his mates who were at the Elaman Creek circuit on the Sunshine Coast that day told Shannen.
Hours later, one of them made a devastating phone call to Shannen, who was at home on the Gold Coast.
“I heard the other person on the end of the phone and my heart just sank because I knew straight away something was wrong,” she told 7NEWS.com.au.
“They told me what was happening and I just went straight into shock. I didn’t want to believe what they were telling me.
“It was a freak accident.
“He just came off the bike. I’ve been told there was an incident on the track and, unfortunately, Corey got tangled in that, and he was thrown from the bike.
“The injury was fatal. There was no way he was going to come out of it.”
![Gold Coast man Corey Whittington and his wife Shannen.](jpg/b8210507c8c4d1d4ba625dba30d651ab973521cc-16x9-x0y0w1280h720e2c3.jpg?imwidth=650&impolicy=sevennews_v2)
![Whittington’s grieving wife Shannen says he knew of the risks of motocross racing.](jpg/6f834fe7e23a6679b213baad990e61ad00b89fb0-16x9-x0y0w1280h720e2c3.jpg?imwidth=650&impolicy=sevennews_v2)
Corey Whittington was declared dead at the scene. Friday would have been his 45th birthday.
A construction worker who was born in New Zealand, he and Shannen were together for 10 years before their wedding.
“He was larger than life. Always had a smile on his face,” she said.
“He was just a top, top person. Everyone spoke about how amazing he was.
“He had a genuine soul, he had a big heart, very caring. He made friends wherever he went. He would literally go out somewhere, anywhere pretty much, and he would know someone.”
Tributes from the motorcycling community have been flowing and more than $23,000 has been raised for Shannen on GoFundMe to “keep a roof over my head”.
Whittington had long ridden motocross, even travelling with Shannen to the United States to compete.
He raced in veterans’ class, and Shannen said she often “jokingly” urged him to quit the sport because “you’re getting a bit older”.
![Whittington loved the sport of motocross.](jpg/7080110eb8ff8e5ee18e7f3f3a21381c0881c9a1-16x9-x0y0w1280h720e2c3.jpg?imwidth=650&impolicy=sevennews_v2)
But there was no chance of that.
“Corey loved it dearly,” Shannen said.
“He just loved it so much. There was no way he was going to give it away.
“He was always so young at heart, there’s no way he was ever, ever going to stop.”
She holds no animosity towards the sport, saying they were both “fully aware” of the risks.
“I take comfort knowing he left this world doing what he loved,” she said.
“It is a tragedy, it is, but he was doing what he loved.”
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