A California family is grieving the loss of a beloved father and husband who was taken from the world while he tried to perform a good deed. Casey Rivara, a 41-year-old father of two, was helping a family of ducks cross a busy intersection May 19 when he was struck by a car, reportedly driven by a teenager.
His family said his final act on this earth was a testament to his kind and caring nature. In the days since his death, family and friends have shared memories about the man they knew and loved.
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Rivara was bringing his children home from swim practice when he got out of his car.
Rivara was driving his children home Friday when he parked his car on the side of the road to help a mother duck and her ducklings cross an intersection in Rocklin, California, the Daily Mail reported. After he helped the ducks, Rivara was hit and killed by a 17-year-old driver who witnesses said seemed to come out of nowhere.
Sadly, Rivara’s two children, 11-year-old Sophia and 6-year-old James, witnessed the traumatic event. Those close to Rivara said he was the kindest, most amazing husband and father.
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A witness to the accident described it in chilling detail.
“Even his last act in this world was a sign of his compassion,” Tracey Rivara, Casey Rivara’s aunt, wrote on the family’s GoFundMe page. “The family is trying to figure out how to recover and keep going after this immense loss.”
Twelve-year-old William Wimsatt, who saw the accident, said, “He got out of the car and was shooing the ducks and everyone was clapping because he was being nice,” according to the New York Post. Shortly after the ducks were on the other side of the street, the accident happened. “His shoes and one of his socks were right in front of our car,” he said, according to the news outlet.
In addition to his two children, Rivara leaves behind his high school sweetheart.
He is remembered as a family man who fell in “madly in love” with his wife, Angel Chow, when the two were just 17 years old. They met in high school where she enrolled as an exchange student from Hong Kong. They have been together for the past 23 years.
Chow released a statement on Sunday night, according to NBC News. “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,” she wrote.
“We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of you for the kind messages and gestures of kindness. It’s truly humbling to hear how Casey has positively impacted your lives, and we’re extremely grateful for that.”
Rivara is remembered as a man deeply devoted to his children.
His aunt said he was also an extremely devoted father and his family was his world. He was so dedicated to his children that he had started working at the children’s school in order to be closer to them. “He loved working at the school as he was able to positively impact other children,” Rivara's aunt said.
The family may be able to sue for wrongful death.
A representative of the Placer County Sheriff's Office told the Daily Mail that the unnamed driver is cooperating with authorities and that it's unlikely she will be charged with Rivara’s death. Stefano Formica, a lawyer for Bond Legal, told the Legal Advocate that Rivara's family could be entitled to a wrongful death claim.
“It’s almost always a driver’s duty to yield to any pedestrian,” he explained. “Family members of wrongful death victims can seek damages for loss of income, companionship, funeral expenses and pain and suffering,” he said, according to the Daily Mail.
In the meantime, the Rivara family GoFundMe has exceeded the $30,000 fundraising goal, with more than $85,000 raised thus far.
