'He was a good boy': Sobbing parents of 'speeding driver', 22, who died when his car crossed onto wrong side of Hamptons highway and smashed into Uber killing four others say their son would have been 'chewed up by guilt'
Ryan Mendez, 22, was killed after his Nissan Maxima veered onto the wrong side of the road and collided with a Toyota Prius in the town of Quogue late Saturday night
The parents of a 'speeding' driver whose car slammed into an Uber killing four people in the Hamptons say their son was a 'good boy' who 'wouldn't have been able to function' knowing he had taken other peoples' lives.
Ryan Mendez, 22, was killed after his Nissan Maxima veered onto the wrong side of the road and collided with a Toyota Prius in the town of Quogue late Saturday night.
That Prius was being driven by Farhan Zahid, 32, who was working for Uber and carrying passengers Michael Farrell, 20, James Farrell, 25, and Ryan Kiess, 25.
All four men were all killed instantly in the crash.
Kiess's girlfriend, Brianna M. Maglio, 22, was also in the Uber and was the only survivor of the collision. She is currently in a critical condition in hospital.
On Monday, Mendez's grief-stricken father spoke with CBSNY, saying: 'I don't know how what happened, but I don't want anyone to think any less of my son, because he was a good boy. He was our everything.'
Mendez's mon added: 'He didn't live to see, this because the guilt would have just chewed him up. He probably wouldn't have been able to function, taken somebody else's life. My son was very humble'.
Police believe Mendez was driving above the speed limit when he crossed the centerline onto the wrong side of the highway and hit the Uber.
Ryan Mendez's grief-stricken parents spoke with CBS2 on Monday - two days after his car collided with an Uber, killing four people inside
The fatal crash occurred when Toyota Prius Uber the group called to go out dancing collided head-on with another car that had veered across the median into the oncoming lane
Justin B. Mendez, 22, was driving a red Nissan Maxima when he crashed into the group's Uber. Police said they believe we was speeding. Mendez was also killed in the crash
'I don't know how what happened, but I don't want anyone to think any less of my son, because he was a good boy. He was our everything': Mendez was overcome with grief
Hifsa Ahmad - who is the widow of Uber driver Farhan Zahid - spoke with Newsday on Monday saying she doesn't know how to tell their three young children that their dad is dead.
The couple had been married for seven year and have three children, Ayan, six, Mishal, three, and Ahaan, 16 months.
'The kids have been asking me since yesterday when their father is coming ', Ahmad stated.
'They're "Why is he still at work? Why isn't he coming?" They really don't understand.'
She tearfully told Newsday that her husband - who emigrated from Pakistan five years ago - was the family's sole breadwinner.
'I have no support; he was working; he was the only one,' she stated. 'He was a good partner. A good husband. He was really nice.'
Hifsa Ahmad had been married to Farhan Zahid for seven years and the pair shared three young children. Zahid was killed instantly in the crash on Saturday night
Ahmad says she doesn't know how to tell their three young children that their dad is dead
'I have no support; he was working; he was the only one,' Ahmad said her husband was the family's sole breadwinner
Meanwhile, tributes are also pouring in for the three other passengers who were killed in the crash.
Ryan Kiess was at his family's new Hamptons home with his friends - brothers Michael and James Farrell - when they decided to call the Uber on Saturday night to head out dancing after enjoying the housewarming bash.
Ryan's mother, Nina, told Newsday: 'Gentle heart, gentle giant,' he said, noting that his son was six-foot-three.
'He died with two of his friends. … He loved Brianna. He loved his family, friends and the community.'
Brianna remains in a critical condition. She and Ryan had been dating for six years.
Ryan Kiess, 25, was killed in the crash. His girlfriend Brianna Maglio, 22, was the only survivor and is in critical condition
Ryan and Brianna met at the University of Scranton, where they both played lacrosse
Ryan had studied accounting, and had been recently promoted at the firm KPMG. Brianna works as an intensive care neonatal nurse at New York- Presbyterian Hospital.
The couple met at the University of Scranton, where they both played lacrosse.
Bill Cherry, a former boys lacrosse coach at Manhasset High School said he had coached both Ryan and brothers Michael and James Farrell.
Farrells and Kiess, and said they were exceptional people.
'These were great kids, three-sport athletes, who played football, basketball and lacrosse ... This is so senseless, so heartbreaking,' he told the outlet.
Cherry noted that by calling an Uber the group had been playing it safe that night, but still perished regardless, and called the crash 'senseless.'
'They were doing the right thing and being smart and getting a ride to meet friends and then this happens,' he said. 'You're so happy that your kids are doing the right thing and then you wonder why and how something like this happens?
Brothers James, 25, and Michael Farrell, 20, were among the fatal crash victims Saturday