A California father is being remembered for his bravery in the moments before he was killed by a runaway car while returning from lunch with his family.
Adam Bouvet, 50, was in Dallas, Texas, on Oct. 25 visiting his oldest daughter and was excited to see his school-age grandson play football for the first time, when he and his family heard a car screeching nearby. . ABC 7 Reports.
Soon, a car jumped the sidewalk and headed straight for him, his wife, two daughters and young grandson, when Bouvet sprang into action to save his family.
“In a second, I was knocked down only to get up and not see my husband,” his wife, Tracy, recounted on Facebook.
“I found him in front of the car that hit us,” he said. “I think he took the hit to save us all.”
Adam Bouvet, 50, is remembered for his bravery in the moments before he was killed by a runaway car while returning from lunch with his family.
His daughters and grandson were unharmed, while his wife Tracy only suffered minor injuries.
But Bouvet bore the brunt of the accident and suffered a traumatic brain injury. according to KTLA.
He was rushed to a local hospital for emergency surgery, but was pronounced dead three days later. The Mill Restaurant in Old Town Murrieta, California, which he co-owned for 17 years, announced his untimely passing.
“Adam has gone to our Lord and is now in heaven,” the pizzeria posted on Facebook on October 28.
‘He will never be forgotten!!’
His wife, Tracy, wrote on Facebook that he likely pushed his family off the road from an out-of-control car that had jumped the curb on Oct. 25.
The couple was in Dallas, Texas, visiting their oldest daughter and watching their grandson play his first soccer game.
Many in the community expressed shock and pain at the news.
“You walk into The Mill and you hope it’s still there,” his longtime friend, Brad Neet, told KTLA.
“There’s a big hole in my heart,” he said. “Not only in my heart, but in the hearts of the community, his family and everyone he knew and loved.”
Some customers have left notes and flowers outside the restaurant, while other community members tied orange ribbons around the trees.
The local elementary school also put up black and orange signs to show their support for the Bouvet family, using the colors of their favorite baseball team, the San Francisco Giants.
Bouvet had been co-owner of The Mill restaurant in Old Town Murrieta, California for 17 years.
Loyal customers left bouquets and notes outside the restaurant after his death.
Meanwhile, The Mill donated proceeds from its sales on Friday and Saturday to help offset the cost of Bouvet’s untimely death.
At the same time, a friend set up an online fundraiser for the family. As of Sunday, it had already raised more than $145,000.
“A lot of people don’t have as big an impact on a community as he does, so to see this outpouring of love is pretty amazing,” Neet said.
The Bouvet family is now in the process of bringing his remains to California and is planning a funeral.
Meanwhile, Tracy remembers her husband as “my hero, the love of my life, my best friend (and) the best husband.”