Fellow bikers are organizing a memorial fund to pay their respects to a 21-year-old Northern Illinois University student killed in a motorcycle crash in Sycamore.

Turki Alazemi, 21, of DeKalb, died after a crash Sunday involving his motorcycle and a Lexus SUV, according to the Sycamore Police Department.

DeKalb resident Breyanna Rodriguez, a friend of Alazemi’s, created a GoFundMe that she said will raise funds to install a memorial bench or plant trees in Alazemi’s honor, a custom common in the Muslim faith.

“We were part of a close-knit group of motorcyclists who shared countless rides, laughs and unforgettable moments together,” Rodriguez wrote on the fundraising page. “Whether we were out on the road or just hanging out, Turki’s kindness, humor and genuine spirit always stood out.”

Alazemi enrolled at NIU in fall 2024 and was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, university spokesperson Jami Kunzer said.

He dreamed of “building a bright future,” Rodriguez wrote.

Sycamore Police Chief Erik Mahan said the crash occurred about 4 p.m. Sunday near 1709 DeKalb Ave. Alazemi was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Alazemi’s Suzuki motorcycle was traveling south and a Lexus SUV was exiting a private driveway just south of 1709 DeKalb Ave. when the vehicles collided, Mahan said.

As of 5:36 p.m. Wednesday, the GoFundMe had raised $1,438 of a $2,000 goal.

Rodriguez wrote that, in Islam, planting a tree in honor of someone who died is believed to bring them blessings in the afterlife because the tree gives back to the world.

“Our motorcycle family would love to plant trees or dedicate a memorial bench in Turki’s name,” Rodriguez wrote, “something living and lasting that reflects the life and light he shared with all of us.”