BUTLER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Channel 11 is learning more about the man who died after being hit by two cars in Butler Township over the weekend.
The daughter of Patrick Bender Jr., 46, told Channel 11 News she and her siblings are distraught and still trying to process the sudden and tragic loss of their father.
Police said Bender was hit while walking home in Butler Township on Saturday, Feb. 10.
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Jen, who didn’t want to use her last name, said she was Bender’s girlfriend.
“He was a great guy,” she said. “Everybody loved him.”
Towering above most at a height of 6 feet 7 inches, Bender’s friends described him as a gentle giant.
“He made his friends feel like family,” Jen said. “He would give you the shirt off his back or the shoes off his feet if you needed them.”
Butler Township Police said the father was hit by a car as he was walking along Kittanning Street around 8:10 p.m. Saturday. Bender was then struck a second time by another car while he was lying on the road after the first crash. He later died at the hospital.
Bender’s girlfriend, Jen, said he was on his way home from a convenience store at the time of the crash.
“He was just, he was a great guy,” she said.
Jen said Bender was always there for his four children and one grandchild.
“He was very loving,” she said. “He loved his children and was so proud of them for the things that they’ve accomplished in life. He definitely lived for his kids.”
It’s unclear if the drivers will face any charges. The crash is still under investigation.
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