ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida Department of Transportation Road Ranger who died assisting a driver over the weekend was honored Thursday.
The family identified the victim as Terry Blum, 67, who was working along Interstate 95 in St. Lucie County on Saturday when he was struck and killed by a vehicle.
Lights flashed and sirens echoed through Fort Pierce as a procession honored Blum while his body was taken from the medical examiner's office to Yates Funeral Home in Fort Pierce.
Days after her father's passing, Sarah Blum reflected on his life.
"Just a genuine, humble man who loved helping others," Kaitlin Blum said.
In the neighborhood where the victim lived, friends lamented the loss of the fallen Road Ranger, knowing it would leave a lasting void.
"Emotions are raw, and I'm feeling a bit numb and sad," neighbor Michelle Gerard said.
Mark Mendenhall remembered Blum as a dedicated family man.
"I know they went to church. I couldn't believe it when I heard the news," Mendenhall said.
Terry Blum died Saturday when a man from Royal Palm Beach veered off the road, colliding with Blum and his truck while he was assisting a disabled vehicle.
Everyone that WPTV spoke to who knew Terry expressed similar sentiments.
"Terry was a rare breed, a real man," Gerard remarked.
His neighbor believes that Terry would want everyone who misses him to find solace in knowing he is now at peace with his wife, who he lost less than a year ago.
