Dozens of people who live and work in North Beach are rallying around a homeless man who is fighting for his life after being struck in a hit-and-run accident last Saturday.

The family of the victim, 62-year-old Selester "Les" Rowe, flew into town to be by his side and said they had no idea he was living on the streets.

Everyday on her way to work Paulina Krol used to pass a homeless man, Rowe, but Krol said he never asked her for money.

"I would walk by him every day and he would say,'Have a nice day' and there were days when I walked by and I wasn't having a good day and Les would made me feel better," she said.

Krol said Rowe has been homeless for at least five years and she would sometimes bring him food.

"I asked him if he had a place to stay, and he said, 'No.' I asked how much would it cost to come into a shelter and he said '$12,'" she said. "I gave him a 20. He said, 'I don't want your money.' I said take my money. He said, 'I don't need $20, I need $12.' He didn't want to take the extra $8 from me."

A shrine of flowers and get well letters have up piled in the place where Rowe would stand. Last Saturday, at around 11:15 p.m., Rowe was crossing Columbus Avenue and Stockton Street when he was hit by a white SUV that fled from the scene.

Police described the car as a late 90s model white Chevrolet with tinted windows. It has a California license plate with the last two numbers two and four.

Rowe is in critical condition at San Francisco General Hospital suffering from brain trauma, broken bones and leg injuries. His family said he is heavily sedated and it's unclear if he will survive.

"I'm really devastated, because we just talked to him, me and my daughter," said La-Creaser Rock, Rowe's sister.

Rowe's sisters and mother flew in from Alabama to be by his side at the hospital.

Rowe's sisters said he graduated from college with a degree in engineering and when they spoke on the phone to him,  Rowe would tell them things were good.

"You have a loving brother, an educated brother went out and did wonderful for himself, what happened," Rock said. "What happened in his life here that made him go this way because he had a home."

The community is pulling for Rowe, who remains unconscious. Krol started collecting donations to help support his family while they stay in San Francisco. Rowe's sister sai d she wants the driver responsible to know people love him.

"He is important to other people, to me, my sister, my brother and the man upstairs," Rock said. "If he didn't he wouldn't be hanging on right now."

The family and the north beach community hopes that driver feels remorse and comes forward. All they can do now is hope Rowe has the strength to survive.

To donate money to help the family who flew from Alabama to be by his side,  visit Citibank and donate to account 42001814260.