White House Staffer Killed in Mount Airy Crash

By Feroze Dhanoa and Elizabeth Janney

A White House staffer died Saturday during a charity bicycle ride in Howard County.

Jacob Thomas Brewer, 34, of Alexandria, Va., died after his bicycle went out of control on a sharp curve, crossed the double yellow lines and collided with an oncoming vehicle in the Mount Airy area around 3:40 p.m., according to Howard County police. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Related: Bicyclist Killed in Mount Airy Crash

Brewer was riding in the Ride to Conquer Cancer event, a two-day ride that raises money to combat cancer.

“It is with heavy hearts that we inform you today there was a fatal accident involving a Ride to Conquer Cancer rider,” a statement on the Ride to Conquer website said.

Brewer was a senior policy advisor in the Office of The Chief Technology Officer.

President Obama released the following statement on Brewer’s passing:

I am heartbroken at the tragic loss of one of my advisors, Jake Brewer. We set out to recruit the best of the best to join their government and help us harness the power of technology and data to innovate new solutions for the 21st century.

Simply put, Jake was one of the best. Armed with a brilliant mind, a big heart and an insatiable desire to give back, Jake devoted his life to empowering people and making government work better for them. He worked to give citizens a louder voice in our society. He engaged our striving immigrants. He pushed for more transparency in our democracy. And he sought to expand opportunity for all.

I’ve often said that today’s younger generation is smarter, more determined, and more capable of making a difference than I was as a young man. Jake was proof of that.

Michelle and I are praying for all of Jake’s family and his many friends, most of all his wife, Mary Katharine Ham, their daughter, Georgia, and their growing family. They’ll always have a family here at the White House.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to support his family.

Brewer’s wife, conservative journalist Mary Katharine Ham, was 29 weeks pregnant at the time of his death. The couple also has a toddler named Georgia. The GoFundMe account is for an educational fund, with a goal of $200,000; by Monday morning, more than $150,000 has been donated.

Brewer was the head of global affairs and external policy at Change.org, which is hosting three memorial gatherings at its offices in D.C., New York and San Francisco on Monday, Sept. 21.

Photo from JakeBrewer.com.