Family mourns crossing guard killed at busy Hamilton Mountain intersection

The family of 52-year-old Keith Brewster was still adjusting to the reality today that he was hit and killed by a dump truck while he was focused on his job of keeping children safe in the streets.

Brewster was the city crossing guard who was killed on Thursday at Mohawk Road and Upper Wentworth Street on the mountain.

His step-daughter Shannon Westoby-Willis told us today he predicted someone was going to get hit by a vehicle on those roads, not knowing it would be him.

“He is a great guy. I was eight years old when he came into our lives, just really filling those big shoes of being a stepdad for my sister and I,” said Westoby-Willis.

Westoby-Willis says Brewster was the glue that held the family together — friendly, kindhearted, he loved chatting with strangers and loved animals like Rico, a family pet.

He took the job as a crossing guard after leaving a job at Mohawk College because of health issues.

“He’d always say good morning, have a great day, see you in the afternoon,” said Westoby-Willis.

Westoby-Willis says he would talk to the kids as he got them across the road safely.

“That’s all he wanted to do. He just wanted to make sure that they were there, they made it to school safely. They made it home from school safely,” said Westoby-Willis.

WATCH MORE: ‘We mourn this tragedy’: City shaken after Hamilton crossing guard killed at busy intersection

Brewster was killed on Thursday when he was hit by a dump truck as he was crossing the Mohawk and Upper Wentworth intersection where he worked.

“I feel like a part of me died that day, just knowing. Like it hurts, it hurts,” said Westoby-Willis.

It was a shock for the family.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with the funeral and other expenses.

And while Westoby-Willis says Brewster was keeping others safe on the streets, he could see a serious danger with traffic.

“He actually always said to me with regards to the environment of being out in active traffic, he always said someone’s going to get hit one of these days, someone’s going to get hit. He just kept saying it. I mean, just myself being there, I see the kind of stupidity of drivers that are out on the road, for lack of a better term, I just didn’t think it would be him,” said Westoby-Willis.

After losing her stepfather, Westoby-Willis is pleading with drivers to take care around pedestrians.

“Take that moment, make sure nobody’s there, make sure nobody’s crossing, make sure nobody’s in front of you. And also hug your loved ones. You don’t know if they’ll come back if they leave. Just tell them you love them. Just hug them a little bit tighter today,” said Westoby-Willis.

The intersection where Brewster was hit is listed as one of the worst for crashes in the city.

Hamilton police are investigating his death. No charges have been laid.

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