Heroic boy dies day after his 13th birthday after pushing his sister out of the way of hit driver who fled scene without stopping
Tyler Phillips, 13, of Suffolk County, New York, was hit by a gray SUV after pushing his sister aside
The teen, who had just celebrated his birthday the day before, was walking with his sister from the park to his shelter when the car hit him.
Officials said the car was a dark-colored Chevrolet Equinox made between 2005 and 2009, with damaged headlights and mirrors
Police are offering a $5,000 reward for information about the hit driver
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A 13-year-old boy died after pushing his sister out of the way of a hit driver, who then punched him and fled.
Tyler Phillips, of Suffolk County, New York, was hit by a gray SUV a day after celebrating his birthday when he rushed in to save his sister, Krystal Randolph, also 13. NBC4 reports.
The two, who have been living in a shelter for a year, were walking home on a bike path in Coram around 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 when the car hit Tyler. He died three days later as a result of his serious injuries.
“They tried to resuscitate him and he was gone for 30 minutes,” Tyler’s mother Desari Mac told NBC about the frenetic moments when first responders tried to save her son.
“His vertebrates and skull are separated, and he has no brain function,” she added, describing his condition at Stony Brook University Hospital. ‘He is gone.’
Tyler Phillips (above), 13, of Suffolk County, New York, was hit by a gray SUV after pushing his sister to the side
Tyler was walking to the shelter where he lives with his sister, Krystal Randolph (left), on October 12 when he was hit by what police believe is a dark-colored Chevrolet Equinox made between 2005 and 2009.
Desari Mac, Tyler’s mother, confirmed he died in hospital three days later after the crash severed his spine and skills.
Krystal, who only suffered minor injuries, also mourned the loss of her brother, describing him as her hero.
“He saved my life,” she told the local retailer. “He was a hero. He will always be a hero.’
The heartbroken sister said her brother was turned away by the impact of the car, which police believe is a dark-colored Chevrolet Equinox made between 2005 and 2009.
Officials said the vehicle hit damaged the headlights and the front passenger mirror, as well as a broken passenger side mirror.
Police are currently offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the driver’s arrest.
Police are offering a $5,000 reward for information about the hit driver
Tyler (left) and his sister (right) have been living in a shelter for a year. They were on their way home when the car approached them from behind
The siblings reportedly played in a park in Coram, New York before the incident
Tyler’s family described him as a boy who liked to exercise and listen to music
A funeral for Tyler will be held Friday at the Mangano Family Funeral Home in Middle Island.
His family described him as a boy who loved football and basketball. They said that when he wasn’t exercising, he was creating new dances and enjoying freestyle music.
Along with his mother and sister, Tyler was survived by his father, Joseph Phillips, and three other siblings.