CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Melissa Morgan has spent nearly 15 years building a place of refuge for people in need. Now, the street just outside that sanctuary is where she lost her son.
Benjamin Dotson, 39, was struck and killed by a driver while walking on the sidewalk along Willis Road. Police say the crash happened around 9:45 Tuesday night. Dotson was walking west on Willis Road when a driver hit him and fled the scene.
Morgan said the hours that followed were among the hardest of her life.
"When we received the call we had to go straight to VCU, fortunately he was still alive so I got to spend 6 hours with him, praying with him before he passed," Morgan said.
Dotson is the second of Morgan's three children she has had to say goodbye to.
"The last 48 hours have been difficult," Morgan said.
Morgan founded a cafe and clothes cottage in the community that provides free groceries, hot meals, clothing, and household items to those in need.
"We feed about 900 people a week," Morgan said.
"Everything's free so we do groceries, we do hot meals, we do clothing, household items," Morgan said.
She described her son as someone who gave to others selflessly and said she hopes the driver who hit him comes forward.
"His heart was to one day marry and have a family and mom's heart was for that too and he never did, he never got to experience any of that… I'm sorry," Morgan said.
"I don't hold any unforgiveness in my heart toward whoever did this but I would like for them to come forward," Morgan said.
Friends of Dotson's family created a donation fund that the community can give to, to help them cover funeral expenses.
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