In a distressing incident in Central Park, cyclists confronted bystanders who tried to assist a father after he was hit by a bike.
Richie O’Brien, a 41-year-old steamfitter, was walking to work around 6:30 a.m. on September 23 when he was struck by a cyclist on the park’s East Drive, near East 84th Street, as detailed in a GoFundMe page set up by his family.
The collision caused O’Brien to fall and sustain critical head injuries. He was taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center, but sadly passed away from his injuries on Sunday, according to a report by the New York Post.
Witnesses noted that the park was still quite dim at the time of the accident, with cyclists, runners, and pedestrians all present.
O’Brien had been a dedicated member of Local 638, working hard to provide for his wife, Ronni, and their two daughters, 12-year-old Kylie and 8-year-old Mia.
One of the witnesses, Laura Sackler, who was out for a morning run near the Metropolitan Museum of Art, recounted hearing the crash. “I heard the impact and turned around. Tragically, both Richie and the cyclist were on the ground,” she shared.
“Richie was unconscious right away and never regained it. He was bleeding,” she added.
The cyclist, who is 32 years old, seemed visibly shaken as a crowd, including a doctor, rushed to help O’Brien.
Sackler mentioned that some cyclists continued past and yelled at the people helping, asking them to clear the way. “There were aggressive cyclists going by during this tragic moment, and they were yelling at us to move because we were in their way,” she noted.
She pointed out how cyclists often treat the park like a race track, which raises safety concerns, despite generally supporting shared use of the space. “There’s a serious issue with speed,” she said.
An ambulance arrived approximately 20 minutes after the incident, during which the cyclist was treated at the scene and declined to go to the hospital. Authorities have not released his identity or confirmed if he will face charges.
O’Brien passed away early Sunday, with his wife by his side, according to the family fundraiser.
His brother-in-law, Jason Bullara, expressed gratitude for the strangers who stayed with Richie during “one of the worst moments of his life” in a heartfelt Reddit post.
Bullara also shared that O’Brien was able to donate three organs prior to his death. “Even in death, he was able to offer new chances to others,” he wrote. “He was, quite simply, the best person I knew.”
The Central Park Conservancy responded to the tragedy by urging the Department of Transportation, the mayor’s office, and City Council to enhance enforcement of current regulations, improve park infrastructure, and push for legislation to make the park safer for all users. “It is unacceptable that anyone should fear injury while enjoying a space that has been a refuge for millions of New Yorkers for over 150 years,” stated the Conservancy.
