“He should be alive.”
As John Ench’s family laid him to rest on Monday, August 2, they were left reeling – and hoping that anyone with information as to the fatal accident that took his life would come forward.
It was in the early-morning hours of Sunday, June 27 that the 1996 Mercedes Benz he was driving was struck, hit a pole and burst into flames at Cross Bay Boulevard and 157th Avenue in Howard Beach, say his family members.
The other driver, who might have been driving while impaired, fled the scene, according to a police report.
Although he was in critical condition, they say, Ench, 26, was conscious when he was taken to Jamaica Hospital. With a broken pelvis, ruptured bladder and other injuries, he was placed in a medically-induced coma with his family – mom Frances, older brother William, twin Anthony and younger sister Frannie – by his side.
He underwent one surgery and “was doing great,” but he got an infection and sepsis.
Last week, he took a turn for the worse.
A second surgery was performed to remove half his colon, but soon after, his kidneys and liver shut down.
“He suffered a month, he fought hard to stay alive,” said Frances.
On Wednesday morning, July 28, Ench, who had no medical insurance, passed away, surrounded by his loved ones.
“He was loved by the whole neighborhood,” said William. “You always wanted to be around him, you felt lucky to be in his life. He would have taken the shirt off his back for anyone.”
On Thursday, July 29, hundreds of mourners came out to a vigil at the scene of the accident – where a memorial has been set up – to remember Ench and hope for justice.
“We gave people who didn’t get to say goodbye a chance to say goodbye,” said Anthony, who shared an August 5 birthday with his twin.
“The least the other driver could have done was to stop.”
Despite witnesses, said the family, the investigation into the hit-and-run has been closed because a license plate match has not been found.
“We just want this person to know that he’s not getting off scot-free,” said William. “I don’t want this person to sleep at night – we suffer every day.”
“He was a very, very loving, good person. It was a shame he had to leave us. My brother and I are going to do whatever we can to keep his memory alive.”
If you have any information as to the accident, email rememberjohnench@gmail.com.
