One person riding a motorbike changed Joshua Mora’s life in an instant.
The 13-year-old was crossing Whittier Boulevard at Boyle Heightswhen a motorcyclist hit him but did not stop to help him.
The crash happened on Thursday, March 30 around 3:30 p.m. Mora was crossing the crosswalk when the motorcyclist ran him over, leaving him with injuries that amputated one of his legs.
Only a few people who were at the scene helped him as paramedics arrived.
“There were two men and a woman who helped me,” Mora told Telemundo 52. “One of them held my foot with a belt so it wouldn’t bleed.”
The young man was transported to a local hospital, where he underwent surgery which, however, did not prevent him from losing one of his legs.
Given what happened, the young man does not understand how the biker did not stop, as required by law.
“I mean (to the driver), why did he run? Why didn’t he help me up or something? are the young man’s questions before the accident.
The incident was also a blow to the family.
Los Angeles police have announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to the location of a motorcycle driver who hit a minor in Boyle Heights.
“Justice is what I seek,” shouts his mother, María Serrano. “Let justice be done to him because it’s not fair that in a 2 by 3 they ended their dreams.”
But, despite what happened, Mora plans to move on. He may no longer be able to fulfill his dream of playing his favorite sport, but he says he will try, even though he only has one leg.
“I love basketball,” Mora said. “I play almost every day when I’m at school. Now that I can barely play, I’m still going to keep playing.”
Lauren Preciado is the latest cadet to be released from hospital with serious injuries when a driver hit at least two dozen cadets while training in Whittier in November.
The person responsible for the accident is still at large. Authorities say the motorcycle is black in color and may have visible damage as the person on board lost control and fell about 80 feet from the victim.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to contact the Los Angeles Police Department.