SpeedVegas instructor’s spirit will be ‘forever with us,’ son says

By BLAKE APGAR LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

Family and friends of Gil Ben-Kely, from left, Rabbi Yisroel Schanowitz, brother Rafi Brosh, wife Antonella Ben-Kely, son Shon Ben-Kely, daughter Nathalie Ben-Kely-Scott and family friend Brian Marton, give their last goodbyes during a funeral at the King David Cemetery on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

A photograph of Gil Ben-Kely at his funeral service inside the King David Memorial Chapel, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. Ben-Kely was a driving instructor who died in a crash at SpeedVegas on Sunday. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Mourners attend the funeral service for Gil Ben-Kely at the King David Memorial Chapel, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. Ben-Kely was a driving instructor who died in a crash at SpeedVegas on Sunday. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Rabbi Yisroel Schanowitz speaks during the funeral service for Gil Ben-Kely at the King David Memorial Chapel, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. Ben-Kely was a driving instructor who died in a crash at SpeedVegas on Sunday. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Rafi Brosh walks to speak during the funeral service for his brother Gil Ben-Kely at the King David Memorial Chapel, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. Ben-Kely was a driving instructor who died in a crash at SpeedVegas on Sunday. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Rafi Brosh, center, with his wife Tali, left, and nephew Shon Ben-Kely, speaks during the funeral service for his brother Gil Ben-Kely, and father of Shon, at the King David Memorial Chapel, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Shon Ben-Kely, from left, with his uncle Rafi Brosh and aunt Tali Brosh, speaks during the funeral service for his father Gil Ben-Kely, at the King David Memorial Chapel, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Brian Marton speaks during the funeral service for his friend Gil Ben-Kely, at the King David Memorial Chapel, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Nathalie Ben-Kely-Scott, center, with her uncle Rafi Brosh, left, and family friend Brian Marton, speaks during the funeral service for her father Gil Ben-Kely, at the King David Memorial Chapel, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. Gil Ben-Kely was a driving instructor who died in a crash at SpeedVegas on Sunday. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Nathalie Ben-Kely-Scott, left, walks with family friend Brian Marton, after speaking during the funeral service for her father Gil Ben-Kely, at the King David Memorial Chapel, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

A casket with the remains of Gil Ben-Kely is taken to its final resting place at the King David Cemetery on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Las Vegas. Ben-Kely was a driving instructor who died in a crash at SpeedVegas on Sunday. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

Gil Ben-Kely’s personality was too big to be contained inside the wooden casket in which his body was buried on Wednesday, his son said.

“That’s why he’ll forever be with us,” Shon Ben-Kely said during the service.

Ben-Kely, 59, was killed Sunday in a crash at SpeedVegas, where he worked as a driving instructor.

About 150 people attended his funeral at King David Memorial Chapel in Las Vegas. His wife of 37 years, Antonella, and his daughter, Nathalie Ben-Kely-Scott, were seated near the front among family.

Rafi Brosh said his older brother loved life and was always optimistic.

“And fear was not a word in his dictionary,” Brosh said.

Ben-Kely’s son said SpeedVegas was such a big part of his father’s life, he would stop by the track on his days off.

“Gil was one in a million and it was a privilege to have him on our team. His passion for life had a positive (effect) on everyone he met. Our hearts are with his family today,” SpeedVegas CEO and co-founder Aaron Fessler wrote in a statement to the Review-Journal.

A mixture of laughter and sobbing echoed throughout the room as photos of Ben-Kely throughout his life played on a slideshow. Some family friends wore red T-shirts with the Ferrari logo that read: “Team Gil.”

“As much as it hurts, he needs us to just keep going,” Nathalie Ben-Kely-Scott said to the congregation as she fought back tears.

Review-Journal writer Richard N. Velotta contributed to this report. Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.