LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — Emotion poured out from thefamily of the 40-year-old man who was riding his bike to work and was killed and left at the scene in Lehigh Acres.
Ronald "Ron" Quilliam's family traveled here all the way from New York looking for answers on who did this and why.
Hours before a vigil for Ron, the family said they are calling on lawmakers to make a change and they won't stop until they get it.
"I’m angered…I’m angered because of that situation” said Jessica Quilliam, Ron's sister-in-law.
Anger was the main emotion the family felt visiting the place for the first time where Ron was hit and killed by an unknown driver.
"The fact that my brother… there is nowhere to ride," said Elizabeth Quilliam, Ron's younger sister. "It’s just unbelievable. I don’t know how he did it, but that just shows how much he wanted to make his life better.”
Ron died early Saturday morning while biking to work in Fort Myers, which usually took him an hour. After getting an up-close look at the road in person, the family is calling on lawmakers for a change.
“It breaks my heart when we came down here driving on this road and seeing this." Elizabeth Quilliam said. "How many people did we pass on bikes while we were on the way here? We need stop signs, maybe a street light God forbid.”
"Whether they put a bicycle lane, whether they put streetlights and a bicycle lane... a sidewalk, there is not one street light here. There is not one stop sign or light," Jessica Quilliam said.
Sunshine Blvd is a state road and Ron's family wrote a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis to push for those changes to be implemented on the stretch of road that changed their lives forever. The family also created a petition on Change.org and they plan on filing a petition with the Lee County Commissioners' office.
The family added that this won't bring Ron back, but they pray it will help prevent another family from feeling what they are.
"I want you to see what that is," cried Ron's stepfather John Cerone as he pointed to his son's vigil. "That is all we have left of Ronald right there. That’s it...that’s all we have left I pray they don’t have this for their family."
And with no arrest in this investigation, the family has this to say to the driver.
"We are going to get this person, I’m not a mean vicious person but we have to, because this is murder,” Cerone said.
"I want some type of closure, that’s why I want the person who did this to turn themselves in,” Elizabeth Quilliam said.
“Just come forward, because we aren’t stopping,” Jessica Quilliam said.
The family did say that they met with FHP on Thursday and a piece of a Toyota Sienna was left on the scene. There is still no word on if they are closer to finding the driver.
Family and friends gathered Thursday night at the intersection of Sunshine Blvd N and 47th St. to remember Ron Quilliam. His memorial was decorated with family photos, a poster of Billie Eilish, candles and decorations for Halloween, which was his favorite holiday.
