PALM COAST, Fla. – A 16-year-old who died Saturday evening in what troopers called a hit-and-run crash loved science and history and leaves behind three grieving siblings, his parents said.
Kelvin Smith Jr. was riding his bicycle on Old Kings Road near Farunm Lane when he was struck by a pick-up truck that did not stop, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
“If you had of stopped and went to check, he could still be here, you know,” Kelvin Smith Sr. said. “But hit him and keep going, that's cowardly.”
Kelvin's parents said he was going to visit a friend around 7 p.m. New Year's Eve, and he was not even 2 miles away from home when he was hit and killed.
“Kelvin, he was unique. He had his own personality, his own way. He's going to leave an impression on you whenever you meet him,” Kelvin Smith Sr. said. “Right now we're just trying to pull it together and make it happen. It's hard, but we have to stand strong and stand together and make it happen and just get on with it.”
Kelvin's parents said he was very outgoing and had already made friends, despite moving to Palm Coast five months ago from Ft. Lauderdale. They said it was a testament to how wonderful he was.
They said they are trying to be as strong as they can for Kelvin's three siblings.
“You can't move on easy when you lose your child. You can't move on easy like that,” Kelvin Smith Sr. Said. “I love my boy. Love him, man. He will be missed.”
The FHP has no specific description of the pickup they were looking for, but it possibly was a Ford. Anyone with information regarding the crash or the driver of the pickup is asked to call FHP at 904-825-5080.
Kelvin’s parents are planning his funeral for Saturday but are still waiting to positively identify his body.
Kelvin's mom said the family set up a GoFundMe account, saying they just can’t afford the unexpected funeral right now.