HAMPTON BAYS, NY — In a world often too busy to take notice, to care, the life of one man, who was deeply woven into the fabric of the Hampton Bays community, has mattered in a profound and meaningful way.
When police announced that a pedestrian who was struck in a Hampton Bays hit-and-run Wednesday had died, the community was devastated to learn that the man who had lost his life was Angel M. Asitimbay of Hampton Bays.
He died passed on March 6; he was 67 years old.
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Visitation will be on Thursday, March 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the R.J. O’Shea Funeral Home, located at 94 E. Montauk Highway. A Mass of Resurrection will be held on Friday, March 15 at 10:30 a.m. at the Church of St. Rosalie, located at 31 E. Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays. A burial in Good Ground Cemetery will follow the mass.
According to Southampton Town police, Asimbay was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center after he was struck; he subsequently succumbed to his injuries. The driver that struck Asimbay fled the scene, police said. The crash took place at 5:o1 p.m. at the intersection of Springville Road and Neptune Avenue, police said.
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Many on Facebook mourned Asimbay, who they remembered as a hardworking man who collected cans around Hampton Bays. “He was a familiar sight,” police said.
Heartbroken community members flooded local Facebook pages in an outpouring of sorrow after they learned that Angel had died.
“He deserved so much better than that. I did not know him, but I had much respect for him and cared,” one person wrote. “He was part of this great community and clearly appreciated by many. Praying he is in a better place.”
All remembered Angel as a hardworking man, dedicated to his family — and always, with a smile on his face. Some said they saved their cans for him; one said they would sometimes drive him to the supermarket.
Many came forward, offering to assist with funeral expenses.
“He has been a part of Hampton Bays for as long as I can remember. Always a smile on his face. RIP Angel. HB is going to miss you,” one person wrote.
Cynthia Goldrick told Patch: “Here is a particularly fond memory. We used to see Angel around town, and when we had full bags at home, we’d ask him to wait while we went back to grab them for him. One day as we were saying good-bye to him, my daughter finished her juice box and ran back to him to hand it over. She didn’t know that it wasn’t redeemable. Angel took it and put it with the cans and gave her the biggest smile and said thank you. Bottom line is, he was a fixture in town — and he will be missed.”
Marion Boden agreed: “The man was a fixture in Hampton Bays. Maybe most of us never met him — but we all knew him.”
“RIP,” another resident wrote. “Your presence did not go unnoticed in our community. You impressed me every day I saw you with that cart of cans. God bless you.”
Southampton Town Police detectives and New York State Police are currently investigating. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Southampton Town Police Department’s detective division at 631-702-2230.
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