JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — With arms wrapped around each other, Gavin Carter's family members got emotional Wednesday when speaking to First Coast News about him, as they shared memories of their beloved son, grandson, brother and fiancé.
“He had a sweet soul, a wonderful smile, a great laugh, was upbeat and talented, and never let the hard times get him down,” said Cynthia Carter-Ross, Carter's grandmother. “Gavin was remarkable, phenomenal and charismatic to know Gavin was to love Gavin."
"Gavin is my everything, that’s not gonna stop now," said Victoria Carter, Gavin's fiancé. "He truly taught me how to love and constantly pushed me to be a better person. I am left with no direction. My only wish is that his beautiful soul can rest in peace."
“We welcomed him into our family with open arms and looked forward to the day we’d be able to call him our son-in-law,” said John Forbes, Carter's father-in-law.
The 23-year-old's life was tragically taken on Saturday when he stopped to help a vehicle that crashed on I-10, west of McDuff Avenue in Jacksonville.
"Every day, he would text or call me, 'When are you going to get home? Please be safe,'" said Amelia Forbes, Carter's sister-in-law. "And it sucks to know the person that was making sure I was safe, wasn’t safe that night."
“My son’s gone too soon," said Dawn Carter, Gavin's mother. "He was taken from us in a tragic way. The only solace I can take is that Gavin died the way he lived being a good man, doing the right thing."
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver who hit Carter collided with a concrete barrier, left the vehicle and left the scene.
And as his family continues to remember him, they want the person responsible for his death to turn themselves in.
"I would ask that the individual who is responsible would come forward and take accountability for his actions," Carter's mother said. "He owes that to our family and to our son."
According to Carter's family, his celebration of life will be announced at a later time.
If you have any information about this crash, you can call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.