Daniel "Danny Lucky" Lutge

San Francisco, 1965 - 1995, heroin overdose

Danny LutgeDan is survived by his partner Suzanne Friedman, his son Jeff Lutge (12 years old as of 2003) and daughter Andrea Lutge (14 years old).

Dan Lutge, better known as Danny Lucky, passed away on September l in a cheap room above Folsom Street. It is hard to write about his passing. Many people knew the legend his diapers changed on a dispatch table, the awesome record of 122 tags in one day, and now, barely 30, gone.

In big ways, Danny represented the good and bad sides of our way of life. He had traditional messenger virtues like respect for elder messengers (even those with fewer years than him) and a decent sense of humour. He was easygoing without being wishy-washy. He liked to party. Unfortunately, he liked to party too much. Big poisons got the better of him and it was too painful for many of us to see him these last few years. We remembered what he had been and it's hard to understand how such a great messenger traded his God-given natural talents for artificial highs. This is said not in condemnation, but only in question. This question why do so many messengers give up one of the most fun and honorable jobs for tragic magic? looms larger with Danny's passing. Because this guy at an age when most of us are still trying to learn urban cycling did 122 tags in one day. Part of Danny's legacy should be that we ask ourselves why this happens.

Rest in Peace, Brother Danny.

­Howard Williams

Photo above: Danny on left, courtesy Hiro