A 41-year-old Port Jefferson Station father of two died Sunday after being struck by a bicyclist while walking to work through Central Park several days earlier, police and his family said.
Richard “Richie” O’Brien was struck at about 6:35 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, near 84th Street in Central Park.
Police said O’Brien was walking in the roadway when a 32-year-old man riding a bicycle struck him. O’Brien fell and suffered severe head injuries.
He was taken to a hospital, where he died Sunday, Sept. 27.
The bicyclist was thrown from the bicycle and treated at the scene, police said. He has not been charged with a crime, and the investigation remains ongoing.
O’Brien was a member of Steamfitters Local 638 and was walking to work when the crash occurred, according to a GoFundMe organized by family friend Casey Bartels. He was reportedly working on a union project at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The fundraiser describes O’Brien as a husband and father who worked to support his wife, Ronni, and their daughters, Kylie, 12, and Mia, 8.
Bartels said O’Brien was able to donate his organs following his death.
“Although our hearts are broken by this unimaginable loss, Richie’s legacy will live on,” Bartels wrote. “He was able to give the gift of life to others through organ donation, helping those in need even in his final moments.”
The fundraiser is seeking financial support for O’Brien’s wife and daughters, including help with their mortgage and everyday expenses.
As of Tuesday morning, it had raised more than $152,000. The fundraiser can be found here.
Photo: GoFundMe
