RICHIE O’BRIEN: FATHER OF TWO KILLED BY CYCLIST DURING MORNING WALK TO WORK IN CENTRAL PARK

A devoted father of two has died after being struck by a cyclist while walking through New York City’s Central Park on his way to work.

Richie O’Brien, 41, was making his usual morning journey through the park when the devastating collision occurred on September 23, 2026.

Four days later, his family was forced to say goodbye.

HIT DURING MORNING COMMUTE

According to the NYPD and a fundraiser created by O’Brien’s loved ones, the 41-year-old was walking through Central Park at around 6:35 a.m. on September 23.

He was heading toward his job as a steamfitter when he was struck by a cyclist traveling north on the park’s West Drive near West 84th Street.

The impact knocked O’Brien to the ground.

The cyclist, a 32-year-old man, was also thrown from his bicycle in the collision and was treated at the scene for injuries, police said.

O’Brien suffered severe head trauma and was rushed to Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Despite efforts to save him, he died on September 27, according to his family.

A FATHER WHO WORKED EVERY DAY FOR HIS FAMILY

To those closest to him, O’Brien was much more than the victim of a tragic collision.

He was a husband, father and hardworking member of New York’s steamfitting community.

His relatives described him as a proud member of Local 638, saying he went to work every day to provide for his wife, Ronni, and their two daughters, Kylie and Mia.

His family said his life revolved around the people he loved.

The sudden loss has left his wife and two young daughters facing a future without him.

“Although our hearts are broken by this unimaginable loss, Richie’s legacy will live on,” his family wrote in a fundraising appeal.

HIS FINAL ACT HELPED OTHER FAMILIES

Even in the midst of their grief, O’Brien’s family said he was able to help others through organ donation.

They said his decision to become an organ donor meant that his death could ultimately give others a chance at life.

The family described it as a final act of generosity from a man who spent his life caring for the people around him.

POLICE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

The circumstances of the collision remain under investigation.

The NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad is reviewing what happened.

At this stage, authorities have not publicly announced criminal charges against the cyclist.

The investigation is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash, including how the collision occurred and the movements of both the cyclist and O’Brien immediately before impact.

The cyclist, who is 32, was also injured and received treatment at the scene, according to police.

A FAMILY LEFT GRIEVING

O’Brien’s death has prompted renewed attention to pedestrian and cyclist safety in Central Park, where large numbers of walkers and cyclists share the park’s roads and paths.

But for O’Brien’s family, the tragedy is deeply personal.

A father who had simply been walking to work that September morning never made it to his job.

Instead, his wife and two daughters are now left mourning a husband and father whose daily routine was cut short in a matter of seconds.

His family has launched a fundraiser to help them through the aftermath of his death and to honor the man they say devoted himself to providing for them.

As the NYPD continues investigating the collision, Richie O’Brien is being remembered first and foremost as a dedicated father, husband and hardworking New Yorker whose life ended during an ordinary morning walk to work.