An 86-year-old California grandmother known as “Meeka” was fatally struck by a car while rushing to save her injured dog in Apple Valley.
Mary Wear died Friday night on Waalew Road in the Inland Empire community after her pet dog Benji was hit by another vehicle, prompting her to sprint into traffic to help him. A 70-year-old woman driving a separate car struck Wear at approximately 8:15 p.m. While she was attempting to aid her dog.
The driver who hit Wear remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities investigating the incident. Drugs and alcohol were not factors in the fatal collision, according to KTLA 5.
Wear’s family launched a GoFundMe campaign to create what they described as a “beautiful and lasting” memorial for the beloved matriarch. The fundraiser also honors two of Wear’s sons who died before her.
“Meeka was a beloved mother of seven children, grandmother of four, and great-grandmother of nine. She was the heart of her family, a treasured friend to many, and a woman whose warmth, kindness, and love touched the lives of everyone fortunate enough to know her,” the GoFundMe page said.
The campaign had raised over $1,000 of its $1,500 goal as of Monday evening.
Wear had already made her own arrangements for cremation prior to the accident. She had told her daughter to “cremate me and spread my ashes at the Buc N Doe” when she died, according to the family fundraiser.
“Even at 86 years young, Meeka continued to embrace life with enthusiasm and a wonderful sense of purpose. Most recently, she had been helping her daughter and granddaughter bring a special dream to life through the opening of the Buc N Doe Restaurant in Fawnskin,” the GoFundMe continued.
The Fawnskin restaurant project represented Wear’s ongoing active role in her family’s endeavors despite her advanced age. Her final act of running into traffic to save Benji underscored the devotion her family described in their tribute.
Wear’s death marks the second loss involving a vehicle on Waalew Road that evening, with Benji having been struck by another car moments before Wear attempted his rescue. The status of the dog following the incidents was not detailed in available information.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department has not announced whether charges will be filed against the 70-year-old driver who struck Wear.