SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A Serra Mesa father is speaking out for the first time after his 12-year-old son was killed in an ATV crash during an annual family trip last weekend.
For Vince D'Acquisto, grief is hard to endure. “It’s unbearable...Comes at you at floods and waves," said D'Acquisto.
“Hollow emptiness. He’s not here."
Photos show Cole, an experienced rider, on a previous ride on his quad ATV. On Saturday, the family of 4, along with a family friend, were several hours into a trip on some familiar, popular off-road trails just west of Ocotillo, when they stopped to rest.
“Cole wanted to go on one more last ride around and that's when the accident happened. I don't really want to go into the details.”
The father says Cole was wearing all his safety gear and was riding safely when his quad rolled over. D'Acquisto calls it a freak accident.
“I started running over there. My heart felt like it was ripped out of my chest. Felt so helpless,” said D’Acquisto.
Cole was airlifted to a hospital, then transferred to another, before he passed away the next day.
“He filled us up with so much love and light. Now he's gone. It’s really hard,” said D’Acquisto.
D'Acquisto calls his son a bright, carefree and active boy, who loved people.
“He’d smile or say something funny. He could brighten anybody’s day,” said D’Acquisto.
Cole was a 7th grader at Taft Middle School. Despite it being his first year at the school, and just a few weeks in, he ran for ASB treasurer in the fall and won.
At the school, counselors this week have been on hand to help students.
Those students, and their families, are now coping with the death and remembering the life of a 12-year-old boy.
“I don’t think I'm ever going to be the same. For him, I'm going to be a better person,” said D’Acquisto.
A Gofundme campaign has been set up to help the family with medical and funeral expenses.
