The family of an FDNY EMT who was killed by a hit-and-run driver last weekend revealed he was celebrating his birthday and a new promotion when his life was cut short. And now they’re pleading with the public for information about the driver who left him to die.
Police say 27-year-old Kevin Liang was riding his Ducati motorcycle the evening of Sept. 30 when an SUV hit him on the Kosciuszko Bridge. Liang lost control of the bike and fell to the pavement. He was pronounced dead at Woodhull Hospital.
At the time, Liang was on his way to his girlfriend’s house to celebrate his birthday, which had been the day before. His family says he spent two years as an FDNY EMT and had just heard he passed the test to become a firefighter.
“He wanted to help the city of New York and he wanted to help home,” his sister said.
Fighting back tears, Avril Liang said her brother “was there for me for absolutely everything.”
“He was a great son, he was a great brother, and a terrific friend,” she said.
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His family is offering a $25,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the hit-and-run driver.
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“There must be something, somebody who saw this or caught some footage, or something that can help lead to the identification of the hit-and-run driver,” his cousin, Pang Lee, said.
Relatives say Liang never hesitated to help others, and now they’re hoping someone will do the same for him. And at a wake Monday, dozens of fellow first-responders, family members and friends came out in mourning and support.
“His job was to be a first responder, to help somebody who’s in need, and now we just need somebody to come out and help him,” Lee said.
His former coworkers at the FDNY said they also want the driver cuffed.
"I want everybody who's (reading) this to try aand get all the information you can," said FDNY Lt. Dionne McCoy. "Anything to try and help us find this person that hit our brother."
Police say the vehicle that hit him was a dark SUV, possibly a Lexus.
