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Family of 4-Year-Old Ayden Fang mourns heartbreaking loss in Burlingame
The family of 4-year-old Ayden Fang, who was killed by a driver on a Burlingame sidewalk, gathered with the community to mourn his loss and call for improved pedestrian safety.
BURLINGAME, Calif. - A heartbroken community gathered Sunday evening to remember 4-year-old Ayden Fang, who was killed earlier this month, when a woman drove onto a Burlingame sidewalk.
Through tears, candles, and embraces, family, friends, teachers and strangers came together to honor the little boy’s memory and grieve his devastating loss.
"Shock, denial, anger and resentment - those were the raw emotions that washed over us immediately after the tragedy two weeks ago," said Ayden’s father, Ming Fang. "Then it was despair, sorrow, hopelessness and other wrenching emotions no words can possibly describe."
Ayden was playing with a 6-year-old girl outside Truffle Poke Bar on Aug. 8, when police say a 19-year-old woman drove onto the sidewalk, striking them both.
According to investigators, the teen driver was exiting the parking lot across the street and had just been hit by an e-bike, before accelerating and hitting the children.
Ayden died from his injuries. The young girl was hospitalized but has since been released, according to the Fang family.
"I’ve never in my whole teaching career - I’ve never lost a child like this," said Ayden’s teacher, Amna Rehmane of FSM Montessori. "As we try to make sense of this devastating tragedy, I’m grateful that I was his teacher. Ayden, my happy boy, we love you and miss you. Ayden, you live in our hearts now."
Turning pain into purpose
Ayden’s family shared that his death marked the third pedestrian fatality in Burlingame in the past year.
His father recalled how, just days before he was killed, Ayden had built a LEGO tower at home, and proudly asked that it be displayed on the family’s living room mantel.
"And as we paid closer attention, we saw a couple of the blocks holding a simple but powerful message," Fang said. "‘Protect our city.’ It gave us chills."
He added that what happened to Ayden could happen to any family in the community, and expressed a desire to advocate for safer streets in his son’s memory.
"In due course, we’d like to unite the community and improve pedestrian safety here in California," Fang said. "Thank you for being here, for Ayden, for us, and those standing next to you. Protect our city."
There was also a large turnout from first responders, including members of the Burlingame Police Department and Central County Fire.
The family had been dining at Truffle Poke Bar when the crash occurred. The restaurant, which has remained closed since the incident, plans to reopen on Wednesday.