JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Adrian Blanc III, or Buddy, used to walk a lot. His sister, Susie Jarnagin, said it was how he got around when someone didn't give him a ride.
In late November, just outside downtown Jefferson City, a car hit Buddy and after a few days, he succumbed to his injuries. The sudden loss of a loved one has his family now advocating for safety changes across the city.
"He spent all day walking into the store, walking to go eat, walking to my mom's," Jarnagin said. "My brother was paralyzed on his left side ... but he lived like that for 50 years."
He had an extra challenge, but his sister said it never stopped him from getting to his destination.
On Nov. 30 Buddy left his mother's house to walk back to his home. His sister said that was a route he took almost daily.
"He started to cross the street and the car stopped for him that was coming up the hill," Jarnagin said. "And then the car coming down the hill did not stop and hit him."
According to the police report, the Jeep Cherokee struck him because the driver didn't see him.
The road where Buddy was killed has a speed limit of 20 mph. Investigators haven't said how fast the driver was going in the case, but one of the streetlights was destroyed on the day of the crash.
Buddy died several days later. The sudden loss left his sister looking for new ways to improve safety.
"There's been several people being hit by cars, some, some real tragedies," Jarnagin said.
James Gallyp, the city manager, said there's room for improvement in Jefferson City. They're seeing families walking across downtown, and he said they want to ensure their safety.
There are about 55 crosswalks in Jefferson City with a population of around 8,500 people, Gallup said. In order to add more of those, they would have to come up with a plan to assess where the high-traffic areas are and start budgeting for them.
However, the light that was damaged when Buddy died is still out three weeks later.
"What I have noticed — there are, there are definitely some needs for crosswalk system safety," Gallup said. "We report out streetlights that are out to the electrical utility."
Buddy's sister hopes her brother's death will spark a positive change that will help other people as well.
After all, his life will remain in their memories and hearts forever.
"I hope that people become more aware of their surroundings that they are more aware of people who live with disabilities," Jarnagin said. "Gosh, he had so much personality. He loved pulling jokes. He loved people."