Mother of Niagara-on-the-Lake hit-and-run victim says son was kind-hearted

The mother of the man struck and killed last week in a hit-and-run on Lakeshore Road in Niagara-on-the-Lake is wondering why the driver didn't stop.

Colleen Franz says her son, 40-year-old Matthew Wilson, would have been more worried about the driver of the Ford F-150 that hit him than himself had he or she stopped to check on him.

He never had any anger towards anybody," Franz said of her son. He forgave everybody. He was the peacemaker, the healer, the mediator. That's the type of person he was."

Niagara Regional Police Service and Niagara Emergency Medical Services arrived in the area of Lakeshore Road and McNab Road at around 7:18 a.m. on April 5. They found a body on the side of the road, later identified as Wilson.

While police have also identified the driver of the Ford F-150 who was travelling eastbound on Lakeshore Road before striking Wilson, they say the investigation is still ongoing by detectives with the collision reconstruction unit.

Franz said police believe Wilson was struck around 11 p.m. the night before.

She also says two men had initially found Wilson's body, with one calling it in to 911 while the other tried performing CPR. Franz says she has been in contact with both men and thanked them for stopping.

This world needs more people like them," she said. I (told) them they are true heroes and angels walking this earth."

Franz says she doesn't want to be bitter towards the driver of the F-150, but he or she should have felt the impact, stopped and looked around.

I just wonder why he didn't stop," Franz said.

Wilson was born in Niagara Falls, and the family later moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake when he was seven. He attended Virgil Public School and Niagara District Secondary. He maintained a grade average above 85 for a majority of his school years.

He would later study computer science at Brock University and photography at Niagara College.

Wilson had a passion for music growing up. He learned to play the piano and later on his older brother taught him how to play guitar. Wilson also played a handful of sports but loved hockey. He had also picked up a passion for both photography and computer programming.

Franz said her son was a kind and giving person.

She recalled one story when they were walking along King Street during a cold winter. They noticed a man shivering in a T-shirt, and Wilson asked the man where his coat was. When the man responded he didn't have one, Wilson took off his recently purchased jacket and gave it to the man.

He just wanted to make everybody happy," Franz said. You called him, you need him, he'd be there. He was always able to find time to help anybody in need."

While Wilson was her son, Franz says it was the friendship they established together that was special.

He became a friend in his late years because once you stop having to be the disciplinary parent, then you develop a different relationship," she said. He always had a really positive optimistic outlook."

Franz has been touched by the outpouring of kindness and love she has got over the past week. Receiving messages from many people who knew her son, including former childhood friends, teachers and others he met along the way.

They've all said the one outstanding thing about him was his kindness," Franz said. It's helping to know that there are so many people that loved Matthew."