As Bob Kaczor drove home from work on a dark Monday night, he had no way of knowing this commute would be his last. He was on South Main Street in Bellingham, Massachusetts, and just minutes from home. Suddenly, a car coming from the other direction swerved over the yellow line.
The movement was abrupt and without warning, and Bob had no time to react. The other car struck him head-on. Both drivers were traveling at only 35 miles per hour, but the sudden force of the impact was enough to be instantly devastating.
“I heard a crunching noise and a second later a pop sound, like the bang of a gun. I turned just as they hit,” said Matthew Cormier, who was working with his brother Micah at a nearby store when the accident happened. “One crossed over the line, and they hit dead on.” The brothers called 911 and rushed to the vehicles, breaking the windows to reach the drivers.
Despite those efforts and a quick response from emergency medical services, Bob’s injuries were too grave for him to overcome.
“My Dad lay on the cold road surrounded by strangers as he took his last breaths,” says Bob’s daughter, Kristine Doyle. “I can only imagine his sadness in his last moments, knowing how this loss would impact his loved ones for the rest of our lives. My Dad lost everything that day, and we lost a huge part of our lives, our family anchor.”
The other driver in the crash was 20-year-old Joshua Campos, a young man from Rhode Island. Campos was airlifted to a nearby hospital for injuries that were serious but not life-threatening. He survived the accident.
Police found that no drugs or alcohol were involved in the crash. Instead, it was a moment of distraction that caused Campos to lose control of the car and turn directly into the oncoming lane.
The crash rattled Bellingham, a quiet town where serious car accidents are exceedingly rare. Bellingham’s last fatal car accident before Bob’s death was in 2009, when 20-year-old Jenna Pasquino struck a telephone pole.
After an investigation, Campos was charged with motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and a marked lanes violation. While he was convicted and sentenced, he only served 30 days in jail.
Campos’s sentence is negligible compared to what Bob’s loved ones have suffered in the wake of his passing. Bob left behind his wife, Suzanne, four children, and 11 grandchildren.
Spring is a bittersweet time for Kristine and the rest of Bob’s family. As the weather slowly warms and the redbuds begin to bloom, they are reminded of what could have been.
“On April 17, my Dad should be turning 77, but for the past 14 years, we’ve had to celebrate this special day without him,” Kristine says.
In his 63 years, Bob led a full and happy life. He worked as a mechanical engineer at Tegra Medical Co., but his greatest joy was spending time with those he loved.
“Nothing in this world was more important to my Dad than family was,” says Kristine. “He was always there to lend a helping hand, a listening ear, or just one of his great big bear hugs.”
Above all, Bob will be remembered as a kind and generous spirit. He was devoted to his family, but his uplifting energy and commitment to helping those in need extended far beyond them, touching everyone he met.
“Dad would’ve given his life that day if it would’ve saved that of the young driver that hit him. That’s just the kind of man he was,” Kristine says. “Such a senseless and avoidable end to a beautiful life.”
