A beloved member of the local dog and reptile communities has been identified as the victim of a hit-and-run incident in Abbotsford between late Saturday night (Dec. 10) and early Sunday morning (Dec. 11).
Marc Ellis was killed after being struck by a red Dodge Ram pickup truck on Lefeuvre Road on the weekend.
A GoFundMe was launched earlier this week to help bring his mother Lesley Ellis from the United Kingdom to participate in a planned celebration of life and also to help support the pets he will be leaving behind.
The initial goal of $5,000 was quickly surpassed and as of Wednesday (Dec. 14) morning a total of $18,100 has been raised from 163 donations. A number of heartfelt comments were also publicly posted on the fundraising page.
“Marc was a very special person and had an absolute heart of gold,” stated supporter Kylee Evanuk. “He was so kind and touched the lives of so many people. This is an absolute tragedy and my heart goes out to all those suffering from this incomprehensible loss.”
The page notes that Ellis was trying to save a loose dog before he was hit by the truck. The page organizer Brad Hoffman stated that Ellis was a very positive person.
“Marc was generous without fault, always striving to do his best,” he wrote. “He was always willing to help, and was there for anyone. A life taken far too soon. The dog and reptile community have suffered a huge loss with his passing.”
The fundraising page can be found at gofundme.com/f/marc-ellis.
The suspected driver remains at large.
The incident took place just past midnight on Sunday morning in the 3600 block of Lefeuvre Road in Abbotsford, and police were notified by BC Ambulance Service.
The red Dodge Ram was located crashed nearby, but the driver could not be found.
The APD major crime unit is now in control of the investigation and is looking for witnesses and dashcam footage from people who travelled along Lefeuvre Road from Fraser Highway to Downes Road and along Downes Road from 272 Street to Bradner Road between the hours of 11:45 p.m. on Dec. 10 and 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 11.
Those with information are asked to call the Abbotsford Police Department at 604-859-5225.