GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Family members of a Grand Rapids man hit and killed while crossing US-131 downtown are remembering him as a great, loving father and a best friend.
According to Michigan State Police, Dewayne Smith, 49, was killed Thursday night while trying to cross the freeway after his car ran out of gas.
Smith was killed in front of his seven-year-old and five-year-old kids, so the family's putting on a brave face for them at this time.
They're holding it together as best they can because they say that's what a family does.
"Coming out of Gary, Indiana, he had very, big dreams. He made people proud to able to say, that's my brother. That's my baby father. That's my Dad," said Maricea Smith, Smith's oldest Daughter.
She tells 13 ON YOUR SIDE that Smith was a welder, entrepreneur and a proud father of five.
"His children were number one for him," said Penny Henderson, his sister. "He wanted to always be there as a father because his wasn't around."
It was in front of his seven-year-old and five-year-old that his life was sadly taken.
"The five-year-old was like, Dad ran across the street. He's running across the street. That's what he told us," said Henderson.
Troopers say Smith had been trying to walk across US-131 after his vehicle ran out of gas and stopped along the roadway.
He walked his kids to the right shoulder and it was when he attempted to cross back to his car, to reportedly to get his cell phone, he was hit by a northbound vehicle.
The investigation is ongoing.
A heartbroken family is left holding each other up by unity, love, and God.
"He always wanted them to be together. We're going to always try to make that happen for his children," said Henderson.
"We really need peoples' prayers right now because it is hard. We lost a good person," said Lamont Smith, Smith's brother.
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