Bronx, New York — The family of Leonara Campbell, a 93-year-old retired nurse and beloved great-grandmother, is pleading for the motorcyclist who fatally struck her in the Bronx to come forward after fleeing the scene of the crash.

According to the New York City Police Department, Campbell was struck by a motorcycle at approximately 2:30 p.m. Monday while crossing White Plains Road near East 225th Street in the Olinville neighborhood.

Investigators said the rider, who was operating a 2012 Yamaha YZF-R1, fled the scene after the collision. As of Tuesday, no arrest had been announced, and police continued searching for the driver.

Campbell, a great-grandmother of nine and a retired nurse, was reportedly walking to pick up prescription medications when the crash occurred. Her family said she had also planned to buy candy for neighborhood children and lunch for a young boy who had asked her for something to eat.

“The kid was hungry, and she was willing to go out and buy him a piece of chicken,” her grandson, Rolando Barrett, said. “We’re just trying to hold it together.”
Barrett described his grandmother as someone who was always putting others before herself.

“She was always a caring person, always looking out for the kids, always willing to give treats,” he said. “If she saw you, she was willing to give you food.”
Known throughout the neighborhood as “Mama,” Campbell had lived just a few blocks from the crash site and was widely respected for her kindness, generosity, and commitment to bringing people together.

“She was always motivating everybody, always trying to get the family together. She was just that big soul that held everybody together,” Barrett said.
According to police, the motorcycle was traveling east on East 225th Street as it approached White Plains Road when it struck Campbell.

Barrett said he later reviewed surveillance footage of the collision, describing it as deeply disturbing. He urged the rider to surrender to authorities.

“The guy needs to give himself up because they still haven’t found him yet,” he said.
Campbell’s longtime friend and neighbor, Freddy Williams, said he was devastated by the tragedy, especially because the two had recently discussed concerns about reckless riders in the neighborhood.

“She was telling me, ‘I hope I don’t get hit by a bike, because these people are going crazy,'” Williams recalled. “Then she was hit. I couldn’t believe it.”
Williams remembered Campbell as a generous friend who regularly checked on him, encouraged him to attend church, and often brought him cookies or cold water on H๏τ days.

“I’m really going to miss her. She was my friend,” he said.
Campbell was transported to Jacobi Medical Center, where she later died from her injuries.

Family members described her as remarkably independent despite her age.

“She had all her faculties and was still very mobile,” said her grandson’s fiancée, Tia Hampton.

Hampton said Campbell had devoted her life to caring for others and called for stronger enforcement against reckless motorcycle and scooter riding.

“She loved to nurture and feed everyone,” Hampton said. “It’s just recklessness and no reverence for life.”
The investigation remains ongoing as police continue searching for the motorcyclist involved in the fatal hit-and-run. Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact investigators.

Source: New York Post