After son’s death, Burlingame father calls for pedestrian safety

A peninsula community came together Sunday to mourn a young boy who was hit by a car and killed in Burlingame two weeks ago.

“Shock, denial, anger and resentment — these were the raw emotions that washed over us immediately after the tragedy two weeks ago,” said Ming Fang, Ayden’s father.

Ayden Fang’s grieving father shared the shock he felt when his 4-year-old son was hit and killed on the sidewalk in front of the Truffle Poké Bar in Burlingame.

With candles in hand, about 300 people gathered to show their support as Ayden’s uncle shared stories of the boy who loved to sing and read.

“He had trouble picking favorites. ‘I love everything,’ he would say when asked. He would frequently tell his parents he loved them,” said Michael Deng, Ayden’s uncle.

Ayden’s preschool teacher said the 4-year-old impressed her from day one.

“He was an amazing student, a teacher’s dream. He was excited about learning,” said Amna Rehmane, Ayden’s preschool teacher.

Some here knew Ayden. Others did not. A community came together to show support for a grieving family.

“I actually responded to the crash and met with the family during this tough time. I brought my own family here to show my respect to them and how hard of a loss it was,” said Justin Jayne with the Daly City Police Department.

Hugs in the face of heartbreak. One by one, people left candles at the growing sidewalk shrine.

Ayden’s father said just days before his death, his son built a Lego tower with a safety symbol on it, inspiring his family to make a difference.

“In due course, we would like to unite the community and improve pedestrian safety here in California,” he said.

He said his son would have wanted to transform despair into a blessing.