A 31-year-old Queens man reportedly died 11 days after crashing his scooter and suffering head injuries while on his way to pick up his young daughter.
Police responded to a call of an injured man on the Queens Boulevard service road near 73rd Street in Maspeth around 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 19 and found Derrick Cristobal conscious and alert, the Queens Post reported. .
The Elmhurst man was riding an electric scooter eastbound when he lost control, fell to the pavement and hit his head, according to the outlet, which reported that police could not say whether he was wearing a helmet.
Cristobal was taken to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was in stable condition, but he worsened and died on December 30 after being taken off life support, according to the Daily News.
Derrick Cristobal, a 31-year-old Elmhurst father, died 11 days after suffering a head injury in an electric scooter accident while on his way to pick up his daughter. Facebook
The father, who worked at Target, was on his way to pick up his daughter, Elizabeth, when the accident occurred, her brother Arrizon Cristobal, 26, told the news outlet.
“When my sister arrived at the hospital, he was yawning and sleeping. “He didn’t remember my sister and he wasn’t talking, but you could tell he doesn’t recognize anyone,” Arrizon told the Daily News.
Cristóbal’s longtime partner, Vanessa Balondo, 31, said she noticed his consciousness diminished over the next few days.
Cristóbal died after being connected to life support at Elmhurst Hospital. Facebook
“Not even the hospital is sure what happened to him. We just hope we can find closure to what happened to him,” he told the outlet.
After nine days, doctors presented the family with an agonizing choice.
“They gave us the option of surgery… they were going to take out half of his skull to release the pressure, but when they do that, there is a chance that he will die and if it is successful, there is a 100% chance that he will no longer be the same person,” Arrizon told the News.
“He would live the rest of his life with a tube in his throat or mouth for air and a tube in his stomach for feeding,” she said, adding that his brother would have required 24-hour care.
“We made a decision based on what he and his wife would want,” Arrizon said. “Everything happened quickly… it’s difficult, yes, but there were moments when I felt that in a way it was him saying goodbye.”
Cristobel met Vanessa Balondo, 31, in the Philippines. GoFundMe
Balondo said Cristóbal was riding a VSett 9+ scooter, which he acquired about two years ago.
“We just hope we can find closure to what happened to him,” he told the outlet. “It doesn’t give us peace of mind because we wonder why he had such a serious brain injury even though there was no collision.”
The couple, who had a daughter together, met in the Philippines. After a long-distance relationship, Cristóbal moved to the Big Apple to be with her, according to the report.
“Derrick and I were lovers in high school, he was my first boyfriend. “Derrick is a typical guy, but his love is genuine,” he said.
“Thanks to him I know that true love exists, especially the love he gave to Isabel,” Balondo said. “He is very unconditional because he gives his best every day.”
Derrick Cristobal GoFundMe
She said they hoped to have another child.
“Every time Derrick sees Elizabeth playing alone, he wishes she had another brother to play with,” Balondo told the News. “It’s very difficult. I don’t know how to start again without him.”
A GoFundMe account has been set up to raise money for the grieving family.
“Derick has always been a happy and loving person. “He was known for being a good son, a loving brother, a great friend, a fun-loving uncle to his nephews, a hard-working employee and, above all, a supportive husband and the best dedicated father to his 2-year-old daughter,” the account states.
“May we always remember him with a smile on our faces, as he surely would have wanted,” he adds.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn