California man who got out of his car to help a family of ducks safely cross the road was killed by a teenage driver: “My heart is in thousand pieces”
(AP Photo/Sophie Austin)
On Thursday, a California man tragically died after pulling over to assist a family of ducks crossing a road and being hit by a young driver.
Casey Rivara, 41, was killed after a car struck him near Stanford Ranch Road and Park Drive in Placer County, California, according to officials.
According to the statement, Rivara got out of her car to “help some ducklings that were in the intersection” when a teenager hit him with her car.
According to NBC News, the 17-year-old remained at the scene to cooperate, and police said she is unlikely to face criminal charges because there appeared to be no criminal negligence. Authorities, however, stated that an investigation was continuing.
According to NBC station KCRA, Rivara carefully led the ducks away from traffic and was returning to his vehicle when the car struck him.
People were cheering and clapping for Rivara, according to William, a 12-year-old child who was present.
“He got out of the car and was shooing the ducks, and everyone was clapping because he was being really nice,” William told KCRA. “He helped them get up over the curb because all the little baby duckies were having trouble, and then he walked in front of our car.”
The boy said he didn’t see where the car came from. “All I remember is the sound and then him flying across the intersection,” he told KCRA. “His shoes and one of his socks were right in front of our car.”
A GoFundMe for Rivara’s family, titled “Casey’s final act of kindness,” said the man was driving his kids home when the accident occurred.
“On May 18th, 2023, my nephew, Casey Rivara, was driving his children home after the kids’ swim practice when they saw a mama duck and ducklings struggling to cross a busy intersection. Casey got out of the car to help the ducks safely across the road,” wrote Rivara’s aunt, Tracey Rivara.
According to GoFundMe, Rivara was married with two children, an 11-year-old girl, and a 6-year-old boy, and had recently begun working at his children’s school.
Angel Chow, his wife, claimed she got a flood of loving words and gestures following Rivara’s death.
“My heart is in thousand pieces and I don’t know how to put them back together,” Chow wrote in a Saturday statement. “But I am honored to know that he left us while making positive impacts on others, even if it was for animals.”
