Tucson Police say two men were killed at Christopher Columbus park Friday after getting hit by a car.
According to TPD, 79-year-old Billy Cox and 62-year-old Michael Holguin were pronounced dead on the scene.
Members of Cox's family embraced and remembered him at Silverbell Lake Saturday evening. He was a grandfather, a husband, a father, an uncle -- who loved to fish.
"Fishing with him was the best," grandson Patrick Atchinson said. "He taught me how to fish, and I'm always going to remember fishing with him here at Silverbell."
Officers say the two men were fishing with a friend, when the third man went to a parking lot to get the Jeep Grand Cherokee the group had traveled in.
A family leaves a memorial for a loved father & grandfather who was killed at Christopher Columbus Lake yesterday. Story at 10 @kgun9 pic.twitter.com/n6zjyLpZ6C
— Max Darrow (@MaxDarrowTV) June 4, 2017
The men had been fishing at the park with chairs or a seated walker. Police say the driver went to get the Jeep so the group could pack up for the day.
When the driver started to back up, he accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake, hitting and dragging Cox and Holguin.
"It wasn't his time," daughter Sandra Ackley said. "But he did what he loved....
Police said people nearby tried to perform CPR. The driver of the car stayed on scene until police arrived. They said speed and alcohol were not factors in this collision.
His family released balloons with messages written to him at the site of the accident, and put flowers and a special sign there as well. There together, they shared special moments, memories, and grief.
"He was very loving. He cared for everybody. If you needed help, he would help you out," granddaughter Amanda Brown said. "If you were doing bad and told him, he would do what he could for you. He never judged you. He always thought the best of everybody."
Tears in her eyes, a daughter that lost her father unexpectedly, Ackley was still in shock.
"He'll always be here with us," she said. "He's always here in my heart. I love you Dad."
His family has set up a GoFundMe page to help out Cox's wife. If you'd like to donate, click here.
