In an exclusive interview with ABC7, the family of an Army veteran struck and killed in a parking lot earlier this week in Hillside shared their grief and memories of their loved one.
Edward Price, remembered fondly by his family, was more than just a father and grandfather; he was a dedicated great-grandfather who left an indelible mark on those who knew him.
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His son recalls Edward as a proud Vietnam veteran and a Purple Heart recipient. Beyond his military service, he dedicated years of his life to advocating for children through his work for the state. Tragically, the son had spoken to his father just moments before the fatal incident.
“He told me, ‘I need you to get this paperwork, just in case anything ever happens to me,’ referring to life insurance documents. It felt almost prophetic,” Anthony Price shared. “Within an hour and a half, he was no longer with us.”
Edward’s relatives are grappling with the loss of their family patriarch. At 78, Edward survived the perils of Vietnam, only to be taken away in an unexpected accident.
Anthony expressed his disbelief, “That’s why I was shocked. My first words to the doctor were, ‘I just talked to him. What do you mean?'”
Anthony Price, victim’s son
“That’s why I was shocked,” Anthony Price said. “My first conversation to the doctor was I just talked to him. What do you mean?”
Wednesday around midday, police say the driver of an SUV may have had a medical episode before crashing into several vehicles, including a police squad car with two officers inside, near Butterfield Road and Laverne in Hillside.
Police said the driver continued east on Butterfield before careening into a Walgreens parking lot, hitting more vehicles and striking Edward Price, who was using a walker to navigate a pedestrian ramp.
“The weather had receded a little bit. It had gotten a little bit warmer, and that’s when he ventured out, yeah, unfortunately,” Anthony Price said.
He says his father didn’t drive and was disabled after another vehicle crash several years ago. The West Side native has retired from working for Illinois DCFS as a child welfare specialist.
“I just think he was an advocate for people,” Anthony Price said. “He was one of these people that commanded the room.”
Despite losing his father, Anthony’s thoughts are now with the two officers who were injured and the 73-year-old driver who police said remains hospitalized.
“My father is no longer with us, but ideally both officers will have full recovery, and so will the other driver,” Anthony Price said.
Hillside police say they continue to investigate the crash. The driver has not been charged or cited as of Friday evening.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/hillside-deadly-crash-driver-crashes-squad-car-strikes-kills-pedestrian-butterfield-laverne-police-say/18295713/
