LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-“I got the Lord on my side and I keep him with me all the time. He’s carried me, but it hurts so bad to lose your only son,” Gloria Penn said.
A Little Rock family praying for answers. Two of their loved ones hit by a car at the same intersection just two days apart.
On Friday night , John Henry Holmes was killed at 65th and Lancaster.
Saturday night the family was holding a vigil at that location when his nephew William Okonkwo was hit.
Okonkwo is fighting for his life in the ICU.
Holmes mother said a street light needs to be installed, officers need to patrol the area and look out for speeders along with distracted drivers.
She said it’s already painful enough that she lost her only son, now she’s praying her nephew makes a full recovery.
“It’s dangerous,” Napoleon Coakley said.
Police tape, balloons and candles are all that’s left at 65th Street and Lancaster in Little Rock.
“It’s just crazy, it’s crazy it has to be a stopping point somewhere,” Coakley said.
The busy intersection claimed the life 46-year-old John Henry Holmes.
“I couldn’t believe it we were raised together. That was my friend, my cousin and to hear that he was gone was shocking,” Coakley said.
He was hit by a car and died at the hospital Friday night while crossing the street.
Leaving his mother Gloria Penn and his family heartbroken.
“Yall took him and just ran and you ran,” his daughter said.
On Saturday, the family held a vigil for Holmes where it all happened.
“He was a loving person, he loved his wife and his family,” Penn said.
During the vigil Little Rock Police were called back to the area after Holmes newphew William Okonkwo was also hit by a car.
“I took off running I didn’t know where to go I wanted to go home,” Penn said.
Okonkwo was rushed to the hospital.
“He’s fighting for his life now on the same street,” Coakley said.
It happened less than 48 hours apart.
“I would like to have a light put up there so we can save more lives behind that,” Penn said.
The family is praying for justice knowing they’ll never see Holmes again and hoping Okonkwo makes it through.
“Everybody is hurt this is very painful,” Penn said.
Penn says Holmes didn’t have insurance and they’re trying to figure out how they’re going to lay him to rest.
Little Rock Police says both drivers came back to scene and the investigation is on-going.
