MASTIC BEACH, NY — Edgar Mejia, a talented, 31-year-old up-and-coming arborist from Mastic Beach, was planning his wedding and had adopted a dog, which was his "baby," with his fiancée.
Edgar and his brother, Omar, were carpooling — on their way home from work one recent night — when the vehicle they were in got a flat tire.
The pair were on William Floyd Parkway in Shirley, not too far from their home, when they pulled over, and were struck in what Suffolk police described as a hit-and-run crash that left their family, friends, and surrounding community devastated.
Edgar died at the scene, but Omar survived, and was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, where he remains in critical condition, clinging to life.
Edgar worked in plant care, following in the footsteps of his father, Salvatore, at Jackson Dodds & Co. in Southampton, helping clients from St. James to Montauk,
It is a team atmosphere that is very much like family, said Kelly Dodds, whose husband owns the company, she told Patch Wednesday.
"It's just awful, so tragic," she said. "I can't even ... we're all still in shock."
Edgar, who was with Jackson Dodds for 10 years as a senior plant care specialist, where he was known for his passion and knowledge and considered a member of the company's family. Realizing what his own family was going to face financially, she set out on their behalf to raise money to help them pay the funeral and medical bills they would encounter.
Dodds said she felt "a need and desire to help the family," but felt "helpless," like she was "unable to do anything to help with the situation."
"When Jackson, my husband, came home that day to tell me what happened, we just were speechless," she said. "I couldn't really think about what we could do. And, I mean, I've seen GoFundMe for so many other people, it just seemed like a good idea, like a way to reach out to the wider community."
Its been forwarded in email chains and shared on Facebook around 80 times, successfully raising close to $48,000 toward a goal of $50,000.
"People that we know have donated, tons of people that we don't know personally, that are friends of the family, or even further removed, who just are touched, like, by the story, and want to do something to help," Dodds said. "So it's gotten way bigger than we ever expected it to be."
"Our hope was that it would help cover the funeral cost, because obviously this is not something that you would prepare for, and they're just having such a hard time dealing with the emotion of having their two sons, one killed immediately, and the other one is still unconscious in the hospital, in critical condition," she added.
Omar, who has had a total of 24 hours of surgery, was first believed to have been a quadriplegic, but has since showed signs of movement, though he is still unconscious, according to Dodds.
"Everyone's still praying for his recovery," she said. "We just had services for Edgar on Saturday, and it was just packed with people. And you know, his mom is inconsolable."
"It's so tragic," she added.
Edgar had been working in the industry since he was around 12 years old, and he was truly dedicated to his work.
While learning his craft and honing his skills, he was an incredible student who took his studies seriously. In 2018, he was awarded a scholarship from the Long Island Arborist's Association.
He was the eldest of his siblings, which in addition to Omar, included two younger sisters — they all looked up to him.
One of his sisters spoke at his funeral services on Saturday in Riverhead, and it moving for the attendees to hear, Dodds said.
Since the crash, his parents have been spending day and night at the hospital watching over Omar's recovery — basically "living" there but for showers and attending Edgar's services, according to Dodds.
Edgar will be deeply missed by his extended family at Jackson Dodds & Co.
"We'll remember him for his kindness and his gentle nature, and his smile especially," Dodds said.
Source: https://patch.com/new-york/shirley-mastic/coming-mastic-beach-arborist-member-work-family-killed-tragic-crash-was-kind
