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Family remembers father of 3 killed while crossing the street on Detroit’s east side

Police say the 41-year-old was struck by a motorcyclist

DETROIT – A family is grieving the loss of a father of three, who was hit and killed while crossing a street on Detroit’s east side.

“My brother is dead. I don’t understand,” said Cadesha Tellis. “It’s difficult because we’re trying to get everything in order and he doesn’t have insurance so, it’s like hard and I’m trying to take it one day at a time.”

Tellis said her younger brother and father of three kids, 41-year old Ivan Jones Sr., was hit and killed while waking across the street in the area of Gratiot and Bradford avenues Tuesday. Police said he was accidentally hit and killed by a man riding a motorcycle.

RELATED: Police: 41-year-old pedestrian dies after being struck by motorcyclist on Detroit’s east side

Tellis recalled that moment she heard the news.

“I was at work, but I received a call to check on my brother... There was an accident on Gratiot by the store and they called to see if he was okay,” she said.

Tellis said she called her brother’s phone, but he didn’t answer.

“Come to find out, it was my brother but he was hit by a motorcycle,” she said. “He was walking across the street. There was a semi-truck coming onto Gratiot and he was already in the center median, he stepped back some so the truck could turn and that’s when the motorcycle clipped him.”

Tellis said it was too much to bear as she prepares to tell his kids that their dad is gone.

“We have to look at his kids on a regular basis. They don’t understand. His older kids will know that he’s gone, but it’s going to be harder for the younger ones. He can’t come back. He’s not coming back. That’s my baby brother,” she said.

If you want to donate for funeral expenses, the family is asking individuals to donate via Cash App with the username $Cadesha78.

There will be a candlelight vigil at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 3, on Wilfred Street and Gratiot Avenue.


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