A family is grieving the tragic loss of 15-year-old Nathaniel Clark, who was struck and killed by a car while walking home from work Sunday evening in Henrico County. Clark, a sophomore at Hermitage High School, was crossing Staples Mill Road near Hungary Springs Road around 8 p.m. when he was hit by a westbound car. According to Henrico Police, Clark was crossing mid-block when the fatal accident occurred.
Clark had recently started his first job at Firehouse Subs, working to save money to buy a new lens for his camera, a passion he had recently developed. “He loved taking pictures of all the high school games, track meets, the basketball games,” his mother, Ashley Fisher, shared. “Even when he played basketball, he liked to stop and take pictures.”
Fisher, returning home from her shift at a Bon Secours health facility, grew anxious when her son didn’t respond to her texts. After trying to call him and visiting his workplace, she sensed something was wrong. “He usually likes to walk home… when I got to the stoplight, I just saw all the cars,” Fisher recalled. “I just knew it was him. I just felt it—a mother’s intuition. I knew it was my baby.”
As the family prepares for a prayer vigil in Nathaniel’s honor, they’ve expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from the community. Clark’s classmates and principal have also shared their condolences. In an email to the school community, Principal Dr. Michael A. Jackson wrote, “It is with a heavy heart that I am reaching out to you about a loss to our Panther community… We want to wrap our arms around the young man’s family as they cope with their profound loss.”
Fisher called her son’s death a tragic accident and expressed compassion for the driver involved, while asking for continued support for her family, especially Nathaniel’s younger brother. Firehouse Subs is helping the family raise funds for funeral expenses through a GoFundMe account and donation boxes at local Firehouse locations.
Henrico Police have reminded pedestrians about their free reflective vest program to help improve visibility and safety. Assistant Chief Lauren Edwards emphasized the importance of drivers and pedestrians working together to prevent such tragedies. “We all have to work together to decrease these types of incidents so that we do not have to continue having these conversations,” she said.