A Queens father of two died Sunday, four days after a bicyclist struck him during his morning commute through Central Park.
Richie O’Brien, 41, of Middle Village, had been walking through the park around 6:35 a.m. Last Tuesday on his way to a steamfitting job when the crash occurred near West 84th Street on the West Drive, according to the NYPD and a GoFundMe fundraiser organized by his relatives. The cyclist, 32, was heading north when he hit O’Brien, throwing both men to the ground.
O’Brien suffered severe head trauma and was rushed to Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he remained until succumbing to his injuries on September 27. The cyclist was treated at the scene for injuries he sustained in the crash, police said.
“Although our hearts are broken by this unimaginable loss, Richie’s legacy will live on,” his family posted on the GoFundMe page. “He was able to give the gift of life to others through organ donation, helping those in need even in his final moments.”
Kin described O’Brien as “a proud Local 638 Steamfitter who went to work every day to provide for his family and give his wife, Ronni, and their two daughters, Kylie and Mia, the life they deserve.”
The NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad is continuing to review the case, and no charges have been announced as of Monday.
The death marks the latest in a series of incidents highlighting tensions between pedestrians and cyclists in Manhattan’s busiest park. Earlier this month, a woman was struck by an electric bike in Central Park, and a four-year-old was hit by a bicyclist in Riverside Park, according to local reports. The Department of Transportation has since proposed redesigning 72nd Street with a new two-way bike lane, while the Central Park Conservancy has pushed for broader safety changes including traffic light removal and enhanced pedestrian protections at crosswalks.
O’Brien’s family has turned to crowdfunding to cover expenses in the wake of his death, framing the campaign around his devotion to his wife and two young daughters. The GoFundMe page emphasizes his daily routine of working to support his household, a practice cut short by the early-morning collision that has left relatives grieving and investigators searching for answers.
The case remains under active review by the NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad.