Father of Two Dies After Central Park Bicycle Collision During His Morning Walk to Work

Richie O’Brien, 41, died after being hit by a cyclist while he was walking to work through Central Park on Sept. 23.GoFundMe

A 41-year-old New York father of two has died after being struck by a cyclist while walking through Central Park on his way to work, leaving his family and colleagues mourning a man they described as devoted to providing for those he loved.

Richie O’Brien was walking through the park at around 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 23 when a 32-year-old cyclist traveling north on East Drive near East 84th Street collided with him, according to police and his family.

O’Brien suffered severe head injuries and was rushed to Weill Cornell Medical Center. He remained unconscious following the collision and died early Sunday with his wife, Ronni, by his side.

A Final Morning Walk to Work

Richie O’Brien, 41, in an undated photo with his family.GoFundMe

O’Brien was a Local 638 steamfitter and was working on a project at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

His family said he followed the same routine shared by countless New Yorkers: getting up early and heading to work to support his wife and their two daughters, Kylie, 12, and Mia, 8.

“He went to work every day to provide for his family and give his wife, Ronni, and their two daughters, Kylie and Mia, the life they deserve,” relatives wrote on a fundraiser created following the collision.

That morning, O’Brien was making his way through the still-dim park while cyclists, runners and pedestrians were beginning their day.

Then came the collision.

Witness Heard the Impact

Laura Sackler had just finished a morning run near the Metropolitan Museum of Art when she heard the impact behind her.

She turned around and saw both O’Brien and the cyclist on the ground.

According to Sackler, O’Brien was unconscious from that point onward and never regained consciousness.

The cyclist was able to sit up but appeared stunned by what had happened. He remained at the scene while bystanders gathered around O’Brien and attempted to help. A doctor was among those who stopped.

Sackler recalled the cyclist sitting largely in silence, apparently struggling to process what had occurred.

An ambulance arrived roughly 20 minutes later, according to her account.

Police said the cyclist was treated at the scene and declined transportation to a hospital. Authorities have not publicly identified him or announced whether he will face charges.

The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Witness Raises Concerns About Speed in the Park

As strangers gathered around O’Brien, Sackler said another detail from the scene troubled her.

She claimed some cyclists passing the area shouted at the group to move because they were obstructing the route.

While stressing that she supports cyclists, runners and pedestrians sharing Central Park, Sackler said she believes speed has become a serious concern.

She described some cyclists as treating sections of the park like a training track for high-speed riding.

The collision has renewed attention around the risks that can emerge when pedestrians, runners and cyclists share heavily used routes.

Colleagues Remember a Dedicated Worker

Brian Hunt, president of O’Brien’s steamfitters’ union, described him as a positive influence on those around him.

O’Brien was working at the nearby Metropolitan Museum of Art when the collision occurred.

Hunt said O’Brien represented the many New Yorkers who wake early each morning and travel into Manhattan to keep the city running.

“He was an example of what a good steamfitter is supposed to be,” Hunt said.

His colleagues, Hunt added, were still struggling to process the loss.

He also urged everyone navigating Manhattan — whether driving, cycling or walking — to remain attentive.

One Final Act of Giving

O’Brien’s family said his wife was beside him when he died Sunday.

But even after doctors determined he would not recover, his family says O’Brien was able to help others one final time.

His brother-in-law, Jason Bullara, revealed that O’Brien donated three of his organs.

Bullara also thanked the strangers who stopped in Central Park and stayed with O’Brien during the aftermath of the collision.

“Even at the end of his life, he was able to give other people a chance at theirs,” Bullara wrote.

For a family grieving the sudden loss of a husband and father, that final decision has become part of the legacy O’Brien leaves behind: a man who spent his life providing for the people closest to him and, even at the end, was still able to give something to others.