Angel Chow, the widow of Casey Rivara, a father-of-two from California who tragically lost his life while helping a family of ducklings cross a busy road, expresses her gratitude for the overwhelming love and support her family has received in this difficult time.
Casey Rivara, 41 years old, had just finished taking his children home from swim practice when he parked his car on the side of the road near the intersection of Park Drive and Stanford Ranch Boulevard in Rocklin, California. He selflessly stepped out of his vehicle to assist a mother duck and her ducklings safely navigate the road.
Tragically, Casey was struck and killed by a 17-year-old female driver while his children, Sophia and James, aged eleven and six, were in the family car witnessing the devastating incident unfold before their eyes. The entire family has been deeply affected by this heartbreaking event.
In a statement, his widow Angel Chow, said: ‘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.
‘It’s truly humbling to hear how Casey has positively impacted your lives, and we’re extremely grateful for that.’
A Placer County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told NBC News the unnamed driver was cooperating, and that it was unlikely she’d be charged over the death.
Stefano Formica, a lawyer for Bond Legal told The Legal Advocate that Casey’s family may be entitled to a wrongful death claim.
‘It is almost always a driver’s duty to yield to any pedestrian,’ she explained.
‘Family members of wrongful death victims may seek damages for loss of income and companionship, pain and suffering, funeral expenses, and emotional distress following a tragic or catastrophic accident.’
Ms Chow urged family and friends to share ‘wonderful memories of Casey in a beautiful book, one that our children can turn to whenever they miss him. This book will serve as a lasting tribute to his life, showcasing the profound impact he had on those around him’.
An introduction to the book describes Mr Rivara as ‘the best husband, father, son and friend anyone could ever wish for’. It goes on to urge friends and family to ‘help us remember Casey, with his kindness, big heart, and sense of humor’.
In the aftermath of the heartbreaking incident, Ms Chow urged anyone who witnessed the tragedy to contact Rocklin Police ‘so they can do a full and fair investigation’.
‘My heart is in a thousand pieces and I don’t know how to put them back together…but I am honored to know that he left us while making positive impacts to others, even it was for animals’ she added.
Mr Rivara’s aunt Tracey Rivara also created a GoFundMe page to raise money for his family.
Writing on the site, which has now raised almost $68,000, Ms Rivara wrote in tribute to her nephew: ‘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’ she added.