GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The family of Dewayne Smith, who was hit and killed by a vehicle on US-131 Thursday night say his death is difficult, especially for his young children.

Smith got out of his car when it ran out of gas on US-131 and walked his two kids, ages 5 and 7, to the shoulder of the road. On his way back, he was struck and killed by a northbound vehicle. 

Disbelief and grief are just two of the very strong emotions Smith’s family is feeling today as they continue to wait for answers from Michigan State Police.

His sister said his 5- and 7-year-old children who witnessed the crash are asking where their dad is.

“It was very hard to hear it. Because the children are, what they’re saying now is that they’re looking for him. And they’re waiting for him to come back because they saw him get hit so it’s real hard,” said Penny Henderson, Smith’s sister.

Smith leaves behind five children. He will be remembered as a loving man, good friend, hard worker and great father.

“Davion just doesn’t want to believe it. Pleasant is very smart … that’s something you have to take in also because you don’t want them to see that you’re sad. You got to be strong for them, so that’s another thing to take on,” said Smith’s daughter, Maricea Smith. “You want them to know it’s going to be okay. But it’s hard. It’s very hard. … Was a very real father. He was an active father. He had the ‘Dad’ name.”

The family is still waiting on DewayneSmith’s body. In the meantime, they are hugging his younger kids extra tight tonight.

A GoFundMe was created to help pay for funeral and kids’ expenses.