The family of a 30-year-old man is mourning a life cut short after a fatal crash on Florida’s Turnpike on Aug. 12.
Herby Dufresne immigrated from Haiti in December 2023 through the Biden humanitarian program. He died when the van he was driving slammed into a semi-truck making a U-turn on the Turnpike in St. Lucie County.
Dufresne’s sisters, Sandra and Katy, said he came to the United States with dreams of building a better life.
“He was our entire strength. He was very kind to us,” Katy said through tears.
Sandra added, “This is hard. He is someone who loved life and loved his family. He had big dreams for himself and his family.”
Family in Haiti left behind
In Haiti, Dufresne leaves behind two daughters—Louidouine, 9, and Anaika, 14—along with his parents and three sisters. The family said his mother suffered a stroke after learning of his death.
“He looked out for us here and sent money back to Haiti for his daughters and parents,” Sandra said.
Dufresne’s cousin, Oscar Cedieu, said the family desperately wants his parents and daughters to attend the funeral scheduled for next weekend, but securing visas has been nearly impossible.
“The consular from Haiti, they try to help us, but we don’t know yet,” Cedieu explained.
Crash claimed two lives
The August accident also claimed the life of Rodrigue Dor, Dufresne’s friend who was riding with him.
The semi-truck driver, Harjinder Singh, has been charged with vehicular homicide.
Grief compounded by delays and financial strain
Adding to the family’s grief, they said it took 15 days to recover Dufresne’s remains.
They also said promises of financial help, including a $100,000 donation, have not materialized.
“We don’t have any money right now. He was only here two years. He has only two sisters. They don’t have any money,” Cedieu said.
If visas are not granted, the family said they may have to livestream the funeral back to Haiti. But with the country’s unreliable infrastructure, they worry it will not work.
