FLINT RIVER, St Mary — On his 69th birthday, Oral Walters did not celebrate as he usually does every year. Instead, he spent July 6 mourning the death of his son Chavon “Benjamin” Walters, who had been killed in a hit-and-run accident the day before.

“Every year mi son keep a little party for me because me and him close. But him leave mi a mourn this year. Him give mi the biggest surprise for my birthday, trust me,” said Walters.

The 29-year-old, who was employed to a hotel in Montego Bay, was heading to work when shortly after 8:30 am a brown Toyota Corolla hit him from his motorcycle. The incident took place in the vicinity of Old Folly Road in Discovery Bay, St Ann. The police are still searching for the driver of the vehicle.

“All now we don’t get any information about the guy who hit him off the bike and we feel very bad that the police can’t find him. At least he could go to the police and explain what happened,” said a distraught Walters.

He has been taking comfort in memories of his last encounter with his son.

“Up to Sunday night me and him sit down and have a good ‘reason’ and talk about some deep things that we never talk about before and laugh,” he said. “It rough right now but we have to try be strong,” he added before he was overcome by tears.

Forty-nine-year-old Jennifer Daley is equally distressed at losing her only son, the second of her three children.

“A mi one boy… and we have a good relationship. Anything me ask him for mi sure to get it. Sometime you will hear him call and say, ‘Mommy, mi have some money for you when a month-end time,’” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“When mi get the call that mi son gone, mi scream out and start cry and roll because mi couldn’t believe.”

Looking back, she believes she subconsciously had an inkling that sorrow was in store.

“From earlier in the day mi never feel good but I just never know what was happening,” she said.

Both parents’ grief is shared by many others in Flint River. Scores of people have taken to their social media pages to express their sorrow at the death of someone many referred to as a community gem.

“The whole community shake up because everybody in shock. When mi go pon Facebook everybody mi see a talk about my son and how he was a good person,” said Daley. “Other day an elderly man in the community come from hospital and he couldn’t walk and Chavon put him on his back and bring him home.”

The young Walters leaves behind three children of his own, two girls and a boy.

“He loved his children and worked towards building a better life for his family. Him was business man; always a keep him parties as well and just a work to make ends meet,” his mother reminisced.