The wife of the man who was tragically killed just moments after helping a family of ducks cross the road has said she feels ‘deeply touched’ by the outpouring of love her family has received.
Casey Rivara, 41, was killed after being struck by a vehicle at an intersection in Rocklin, California, last Friday (19 May).
Just moments before, he was seen helping a 'mama duck and ducklings’ across the busy road.
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However, when Rivara went to return to his car – where his children, aged 11 and six, were waiting for him – he was suddenly hit by a 17-year-old driver and sadly died at the scene.
"The man was reportedly trying to help some ducklings that were in the intersection," the Rocklin Police Department said in a statement.
"As the man was in the intersection, a teenage driver was headed eastbound on Stanford Ranch Boulevard. This juvenile driver struck the pedestrian who was in the roadway."
No arrests have been made yet, and the 17-year-old is fully cooperating with police as they conduct an investigation.
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A GoFundMe was set up for the family by Rivara's aunt Tracey, who described him as the ‘kindest man’, and has already doubled its $30,000 target with more than $60,000 in donations.
His widow, Angel Chow, has said the support her family has received in the wake of Rivara’s death has been ‘overwhelming’, saying they are ‘extremely grateful’ for the incredible response.
She said in a statement: “We have been deeply touched by the overwhelming love and support we’ve received for Casey Rivara and our family in these past few days.
“We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of you for the kind messages and gestures of kindness.
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“It’s truly humbling to hear how Casey has positively impacted your lives, and we’re extremely grateful for that.”
In the GoFundMe description, Rivara’s aunt explained how he had met ‘the love of his life’ Chow when he was 17.
“She joined his high school as an exchange student from Hong Kong,” she wrote.
“They quickly fell madly in love and remained inseparable partners for the past 23 years. They have been blessed with two beautiful children, Sophia (11) and James (6).
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“His family was Casey’s world, and to remain even closer to them he had recently started working at their children's school. He loved working at the school as he was able to positively impact other children.”
The message added: “Casey was the kindest, most amazing husband and father. Even his last act in this world was a sign of his compassion.
“The family is trying to figure out how to recover and keep going after this immense loss. If you would like to express your love and support for Angel and her family, we ask that you please contribute here in lieu of flowers, meals, and other acts of kindness.”
Jess Hardiman