Knowing Leslie King has taught national cyclist Elijah Greene that Trinidad and Tobago’s past sporting stars are greatly underappreciated.

Greene was with the late T&T Olympic cyclist when he suffered a stroke in Venezuela, less than three weeks ago. King, racing secretary of the T&T Cycling Federation (T&TCF) up until his untimely death Wednesday, was accompanying the team of Greene and Haseem McLean to some invitational races in the South American country.

’I learned a lot about him (in Venezuela) the last week we spent (together),’ a teary-eyed Greene said following King’s funeral service at Malabar RC Church on Saturday, ’and one thing I learned is that people in Trinidad have to learn to respect and appreciate the older heads. We (weren’t) there in their prime to see what they (did).’

Greene was pleasantly surprised at the way King was received during the trip to Venezuela.

’The way how the people treated him in Venezuela, knowing who he was and what was his past accomplishments, it made me proud to be with him... I just want to say it was difficult. Sorry it had to (happen) with me and Haseem, but we were the two chosen ones to be with him.’

Greene recounted that he and McLean were in the room with King when he took ill.

’He was groaning about the pain and I started massaging him and stuff it all happened so fast,’ the cyclist related. ’Me and Haseem had to take him to the medical centre.’

The church was packed and overflowing for King’s funeral service, a fact that did not escape Greene.

’The church is full because those who don’t know him, and those who judged him the wrong way, know that overall he was a good person and he was all about the sport. And he went to his grave with that dream (to improve local cycling).

’He did a lot for the kids and even us adults. He did his part and too bad only when people pass away they learn to appreciate them.’