Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

The community has been rocked by the tragic deaths of Ben and Amy Rybka, who died after their motorbike collided with a lorry on the Stocksbridge bypass on Thursday, March 21.

Dad-of-two Ben, 35, from Chesterfield, was pronounced dead at the scene and Canadian-born Amy, 30, passed away in hospital six days later.

The pair had tied the knot in Canada at Amy’s family home on October 22 2018, after meeting on a cruise ship while working in Australia.

Amy and Ben are pictured with Ben's young sons, Corben and Rueben. Amy was very close to the two boys and would read stories to them over the phone when she was in Canada.

The besotted newlyweds had returned to Chesterfield to start their life together as husband and wife – and had only been in England for two months when tragedy struck.

Ben’s devastated mum Sonja, and sister, Kate, said: “Amy absolutely adored Ben and would have done anything for him.

“It felt like she was meant to be here, that they were meant to be together.

“She fit right in with the family straight away. We used to joke if they never got married, Amy could come and live with us anyway.

The couple were married in a beautiful ceremony at Amy's family home in Canada, before returning to England to start their life as husband and wife.

“We were doing ok at first, because Amy was alive and she was our link to Ben.

“We would get up every day to see her. But after she too died, it felt like we had lost everything.”

Ben, an outdoor pursuits instructor at The Mill in Mansfield, has been described as an ‘adventurer’ who ‘loved climbing, sailing and biking’ and ‘was always laughing’.

He leaves behind two young sons, Corben, aged seven, and Rueben, aged five, who ‘meant the absolute world’ to him.

The lovestruck pair had got married in Canada in October last year.

Amy was close to the boys and would often read stories to them over the phone while she was in Canada.

Ben also loved his dad, Andrew, brother, Daniel and five-year-old niece, Lana.

“As a family, we saw each other every day, meeting at my mum’s house,” said Kate.

“It’s all just been such a nightmare for us. They will be so very missed.”

Amy, also described as an ‘adventurer’ by mum Debbie Ollerhead, was an early children’s educator who ‘loved kids’ and ‘lit up the room whenever she walked in’.

Debbie said: “Everyone loved Amy, it was impossible not to love her.

“She was kind and easy to talk to. Amy was a bright light, who had the most infectious laugh.

“She lived for adventure. She loved life. It was never hard to find her, you’d just follow her laugh.”

Amy leaves behind sister Rachel, who was also married in Canada five days before Amy and Ben – as well as her dad and grandfather, stepdad Colin and stepsister Sarah.

“Along with her family, Amy had a lot of friends,” added Debbie.

“She is loved and missed by so many.

“We loved Ben like he was our own son, and could not have chosen a better husband for Amy. We are going through the unimaginable.”

Ben and Amy’s funeral will be held at Amber Valley Crematorium in Alfreton on Monday, April 8 at 11am.

Family flowers only - with all donations to be given to Ben’s two children.

An investigation into Ben and Amy’s death continues and police are keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the collision, especially any motorists travelling along the A616 who may hold dashcam footage.

If you can help, call South Yorkshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 261 of March 21 2019.

‘They were meant to be together’- families pay tribute to tragic couple who died in Sheffield motorbike crash