Thanh Long Le: Belmore grandfather remembered as ‘fighter’ and ‘greatest man’ after tragically hit, killed

A grieving family has remembered the ‘greatest grandfather’ and a ‘fighter’ who battled cancer who was killed in Sydney on Thursday. See the moving memories.

Thanh Long Le with his beloved family. Pictures: Supplied

A grieving family has remembered the “greatest grandfather” and a “fighter” who battled cancer for two years before he was tragically hit and killed in Sydney on Thursday.

Daughter Linh knew something was wrong when her father Thanh Long Le, 69, was late to walk his beloved grandchildren to school at their quiet Belmore home. He’d never been a minute late.

Tragically, on Thursday, the beloved grandfather of four would forever be late in the hearts of the family he loved more than anything.

“He kept fighting cancer over the last few years because he wanted to keep going, because he knew his grandchildren needed him,” daughter Linh said.

“I needed him.”

Thanh Long Le with his beloved family. Pictures: Supplied

Mr Long Le was killed this morning when he was hit on the family’s Belmore street by a passing car. He suffered head injuries and was declared dead at the scene. The man allegedly driving the car, NSW Police said, was assisting with continuing inquiries into the tragedy.

“He’s never late, he comes every morning to walk his grandchildren to school, at 7:50am, like clockwork,” Linh said.

“We thought maybe he’d lost track of time. Then we saw the police cars and my son said we should check. I was handed his wallet, I was smelling it, I couldn’t believe it.”

Linh said she has yet to see her father’s body and was looking for answers.

“Every morning he goes for a walk, to keep healthy, before he comes here to walk one of my children to their school,” she said.

Flowers laid in memory of Thanh Long Le on Leylands Parade in Belmore.

“We didn’t believe it was him (when police had cordoned off the scene), but one of my sons, who has always had an amazing connection to his grandfather, said ‘I don’t care if I’m late for school, please, we have to check’.

“It’s like a terrible dream – I don’t believe it.”

She said her father had a huge circle of family and friends across Sydney and a party – “a big one all about him that he wouldn’t ask for” – for his 70th birthday in September was planned.

Thanh Long Le with his beloved family. Pictures: Supplied

“I guess we can’t do that anymore,” Linh tearfully said.

“He was such a fighter, so brave and strong over the last two years with cancer. We wanted to do something to celebrate him.”

Her father, Linh said, made the best banh da noodles, a Vietnamese staple.

“When I make it, my kids say: ‘no wonder it’s not as good today’,” Linh remembered.

Mr Long Le, who heralded from north Vietnam, had a “fighting spirit” and, his daughter said, had pushed through two years of chemotherapy for cancer to make sure he could always be there for his family.

Thanh Long Le with his beloved family. Pictures: Supplied

“My father is the greatest man in our hearts, he did everything he could, every day, for his grandchildren – never for himself,” Linh said.

On Thursday, NSW Police urged people with relevant dashcam footage to contact the authorities, explained inquiries continued into the circumstances of Mr Long Lie’s death and the alleged driver, 59, was assisting with authorities.

Anyone with information or dashcam vision that may be relevant to this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers

Originally published as Thanh Long Le: Belmore grandfather remembered as ‘fighter’ and ‘greatest man’ after tragically hit, killed