HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) - Hialeah Police have released surveillance video of a hit-and-run that killed a beloved nurse technician.
Holding back tears, Katiuska Fernandez on Wednesday told 7News about the tragic loss of her nephew Leonardo Gil.
“We are very sad because he was just 34 years old,” she said.
Fernandez said her nephew was riding his motorcycle home from his job at Hialeah Hospital, Tuesday night.
Around 9:30 p.m. along LeJeune Road, near East 21st Street, he got into a crash.
The video shows Gil colliding with a dark-colored SUV.
“The vehicle ends up pulling over but ultimately flees the scene,” said Officer Eddie Rodriguez.
“The only thing that we know is the people left him on the street and left,” said Fernandez.
It wasn’t until later, she said, that someone else noticed him lying on the road and called 911.
He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
Police are looking for the driver.
“We need to ask people to look at their neighbors, look at their coworkers, if they have seen a similar vehicle and if they notice that the vehicle hasn’t been around in a couple of days to please give us a call,” said Rodriguez.
Detectives said they won’t stop till they find them.
“We’re going to keep looking for more video. We’re going to be going up and down every block, and we’re not going to stop till we can find another home, or location, a gasoline station, till we find something that captures the vehicle fleeing and provide us with more information that can help us get to the bottom of this,” said Rodriguez.
Hialeah Hospital held a memorial Thursday in honor of Gil.
Over a hundred family members, friends and coworkers all gathered to grieve the loss of one of their own.
“When you have a pulse in your hospital, you know when something is really shook,” said Shirley Adkins of Hialeah Hospital.
7News was told that Leonardo was that pulse.
Family members said the man that was always there for everyone was left alone to die.
“He was much more than an uncle to me,” said his niece Delia Acosta. “When we lived in Cuba, he would take me to school. We’re just very close family. It’s not like just relative that you don’t even see. He is my everything, my family’s everything.”
Coworkers said that his presence was always felt by staff and patients the moment he walked into a room.
“He was our smile, he was the staple, he was the energy,” said Adkins. “The moment we learned of our loss, the hospital went completely silent.”
Whether he met you on the streets, or if you were one of his more than 90,000 TikTok followers, his goal was to brighten up your day.
“He’s the kind of guy that just touched everybody at the hospital,” said Adkins. “You saw the attendance today. I mean, this gentleman just touched everyone.”
“I know that he left great legacy and he touched a lot of people’s hearts here in the hospital. He’s been working here since 2010, 2011,” said Acosta. “We hope that they can find him or her or that this person turns themselves in because it really is an injustice.”
The family has created a GoFundMe page to cover his funeral expenses, if you would like to donate, click here.
If you have any information on this hit-and-run, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.