Aldinga Beach man, 21, killed in tragic crash after mate’s baby shower

A baby shower celebration ended in tragedy when Jayden McKay was killed by a driver on Saturday night. His mother and friends are devastated at the loss of an “amazing” man.

A 21-year-old pedestrian was hit and killed along this stretch of Norman Rd Aldinga on Saturday night. Picture: Dean Martin

Jarrod Hardman and Brittany Binetti’s baby shower ended in tragedy on Saturday night when their friend Jayden McKay was hit and killed by a motorist in Aldinga Beach.

Mr Hardman remembered his mate as one of the “nicest people I’ve ever met” as he struggled to come to terms with the sudden loss.

“He was an amazing person, who was so kind to everybody and always looked after his friends,” Mr Hardman said.

“No matter what he was going through, he always looked after his friends.

“We went to school together and we’ve been close friends half our life.”

The young couple had returned to their Norman Rd house for a few drinks after the baby shower when Jayden “wandered off and on to the road” at 9.30pm.

“We heard a noise and went out there and he’d been hit by a car,” Mr Hardman said.

“The woman didn’t know he was there, she couldn’t see him.

“It’s definitely not her fault, whoever the lady is, there’s no lights along the road.”

Jayden’s mother Kirsty described her son as the “most loving, caring kind-hearted gentle soul you could ever have had the pleasure to meet”.

Jayden McKay. Picture: supplied by family

Jarrod Hardman is visibly upset as he remembers his friend, who was hit and killed on Norman Rd on Saturday night. Picture: Dean Martin/Advertiser

“He was an old soul. Everyone who knew him loved him,” she told The Advertiser.

“He did not have a mean bone in his body.

“He was not only my son but he was my best friend, my travelling companion, my sounding board, my entire world.”

Mr Hardman said Jayden had only turned 21 a couple of weeks ago and had a bright future ahead of him at civil construction company Catcon, where they worked together.

“He was working up to be a supervisor, he had been there for a while,” he said.

“He was a very smart fella. It’s terrible that something like this can happen, you know?”

Ms Binetti said the Jayden would be deeply missed and was widely loved.

“He is a big loss to everyone,” she said.

“Everyone knew him – he was very well known in the area.”

A friend on Facebook remembered him as the “greatest man I ever had the privilege of knowing”.

“Thank you for absolutely everything you did for me and being the light in my life for many years,” they wrote.
“You were my best friend and will forever be. You had such an amazing soul and don’t get me start on the smile. There wasn’t a bad bone in your body.”

Another friend said he had “genuinely shaped me to be the person that I am today with your wise words, incredibly big heart and banter”.

Police said the driver of the vehicle was assisting in their investigations. Jayden was the second pedestrian to be hit and killed over the weekend.

His death was the 50th life lost South Australian roads this year, compared to 66 at the same time last year.