Family speaks out after boy, 16, killed in hit-and-run while running from dog
The family of 16-year-old Omar is speaking out after the teen was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Alief Tuesday night. Authorities say Omar was running away from a stray dog when he was struck by a white Chevrolet Silverado truck.
Investigators say the driver never stopped to help.
Omar's family came to the US as refugees from Egypt three months ago. They've asked FOX 26 to only use their first names to protect their identities.
His mother, Rehab, is a single mom and his sister, Khadija, is just 13 years old.
"I just cried in here and my mom was talking (to the police) in here; died? You said died?" Khadija said.
MORE: Driver fled after fatally hitting teen who was running from dog: sheriff
Khadija and Rehab were in disbelief when Harris County sheriff's deputies told them late Tuesday night that their beloved Omar had died.
His mother says Omar woke up worried that day and didn’t want to go to work.
"He told me; 'I feel a bad thing. I don't want to go to work. I don’t want to go. I worry about you.'" Rehab said.
Rehab said Omar would take the bus to and from his job as a cashier at a nearby store and often complained about how dark the area near Alief Clodine Road gets at night.
Every night when he got off the bus, his mother says Omar would call her. But on Tuesday night, the call never came.
"I say to him, ‘don’t walk. I will send you an Uber.’ But this day, he didn’t call me. Why didn’t he call me?"
Rehab got worried and called law enforcement. Deputies later informed her about the deadly crash and brought his backpack to their home. His cell phone and wallet were apparently crushed in the accident.
The family fled Egypt three months ago and moved to the US to start a new life.
Rehab says Omar had to grow up early, picking up odd jobs since he was just a 10-year-old boy, to help out financially. Omar made a promise to his mother that he would save up enough money to help them pay for their asylum applications.
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The teen had not yet enrolled in classes. Wednesday was supposed to be his first day of school.
"I come to here to escape from violence. Because they threaten me in Egypt that they would kill my son and would kill my daughter. So I escaped to America.
"Omar met a teacher named Miss Thomas there (at work). She spoke to him at the store. She told him to come with your papers and I will accept you at the school and you can work after school," Rehab said.
Khadija describes Omar as a loving, caring brother who loved basketball and ping pong. She adds that Omar loved animals and were surprised to hear that he was running from a dog.
"He always smiled at me and took me to all the good places to play ball. He just gave me all of his love," Khadija said.
Through all the hardships in their life, his family says Omar never stopped taking care of them, even visiting his mom in a dream last night to comfort her.
"I saw Omar near me because he used to hug me. When he hugs me long time. I miss his hug," Rehab said.
Authorities are still searching for the driver in a 2007-2014 white Chevy Silverado truck.
Anyone with information should contact the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
If you'd like to help the family pay for funeral costs, click here.