Family of Brady Street victim mourns, arranging to send body back to Africa

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- An American dream cut short. A man all the way from Mauritania, a country in Northwest Africa, came to Milwaukee with hopes of supporting his family back home.

That dream was cut short after a reckless driver crashed into him on Brady Street.

On Thursday, family and friends of 28-year-old El Moctar Sidiya have been making their way to Milwaukee from across the country.

"For someone that left home just looking for a better life as you, and looking for opportunities, which is famous in this country for people oversea, the tough part is seeing that same person coming back in a casket," said Rahim Minih, El Moctar Sidiya's uncle.

At the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, El Moctar Sidiya's family and friends gathered to pray over his body.

"He had a lot of dreams to make it," said El Hacene Mohamedou, cousin.

Those dreams of making it in America were taken from him Tuesday night when a reckless driver, fleeing from the police, crashed into him on Brady Street.

"It was horrible. I didn't believe it. I stayed home about an hour thinking, is Moctar really gone? I think so. It's hard to think about, it's bad news," said Mohamedou.

Sidiya's cousin, El Hacene Mohamedou, drove nine hours from Pennsylvania after he got the news.

"Our cousin and friends called me, I was shocked, terrified. I can't imagine that. He had no problem they announced to me. He had died, I was shocked," said Mohamedou.

He says Sidiya decided to move to Milwaukee two years ago.

"When he came here, he said it was a great place to stay, a lot of nice people," Mohamedou explained.

He was helping his family back in Africa and building a life for himself.

"He had dreams here, to stay here many years, go back home with support to his family. He told me maybe he would get married next year," said Mohamedou.

A heart full of ambition and a life of dreams taken too soon.

"El Moctar is an adorable person. He is so nice, so kind all the time, smiling. He wanted to help people, he helped me a lot. He's a kind and funny person, he liked community, he liked to do everything for everyone, to help them," said Mohamedou.

Mohamedou says the family has decided to send his body back home to Africa.

"Some of the community here, they told us the process is two to three weeks. The process is long and after that, too much money. Maybe around 30,000," said Mohamedou.

"For the body to be back home, it's costly but we have to do it. We have to, we have no other option. We have a community here, sometimes they help -- and back home they help too, it's really tough," said Minih.

The driver accused of hitting Sidiya is expected to face criminal charges.