Elderly man killed in Heroes Circle accident

Every morning for decades, 73-year-old Victor 'Fox' McCalla pedalled his bicycle through Heroes Circle in Kingston to fetch water for his household and the small furniture shop where he worked.

But yesterday, the routine ended in heartbreak when he was struck and killed by a truck near the busy intersection across from Crab Circle. Reports are that McCalla was transporting water on his bicycle when the collision occurred. Eyewitnesses said onlookers desperately tried to alert the truck driver before tragedy struck. Investigations are ongoing.

For Allman Town residents, McCalla's death was a tear in the fabric of daily life. His neighbours described him as a man of quiet routine who had become part of the community's rhythm.

"Is a regular thing years now him a buy water," one neighbour told THE STAR.

At the furniture shop, co-workers were visibly shaken. Carl said McCalla was his right-hand man, responsible for small deliveries and crafting stools.

"A send we send him go buy water and a come him a come back," Carl recalled. "People call him unsound mind, but he was a sensible person." Carl admitted he could hardly bear the sight when he arrived at the scene.

"Me go out deh, and to how me see him lay down lifeless, me couldn't look," he said, his voice breaking.

McCalla's landlord, Veronica McLaughlin, fought back tears as she remembered seeing him leave that morning.

"He's been with us for over 40 years. He's like family to everybody. He may not have it as some, but he is loved by everyone," she said.

The area around Heroes Circle is a constant hub of traffic, linking major Kingston roadways, and has long been seen as a dangerous zone for cyclists and pedestrians. As of July 25, Jamaica recorded 223 road deaths from 192 fatal collisions, representing a four per cent increase compared to the corresponding period in 2024. Pedestrians and cyclists remain among the most vulnerable road users.

For McCalla's community, however, no national statistic can explain the depth of the loss. To them, he was more than a man on a bicycle - he was a neighbour, a co-worker and a friend whose steady presence will be missed long after the traffic clears.

"We don't know how we will manage without him," McLaughlin said.