Abbie McLachlan says her life is forever changed after rushing to comfort a dying man hit by a motorcycle on the weekend.

"He was an absolutely beautiful soul, and I wish I had met him before," McLachlan said through tears on Monday. "He will forever have an impact on my life."

McLachlan, 28, had just pulled into the Food Basics parking lot on the Mountain on Saturday with her mother and baby girl, when they saw three injured people across the pavement on Mohawk Road East near Upper Gage Avenue.

Hamilton police say a motorcycle hit the man, 68, and his mother, 89, as the two were crossing Mohawk Road at 5 p.m. on Saturday with their walkers. They had just left Food Basics and were headed home.

Police later identified the man as Berkley James Wood, and said he was pronounced dead in hospital.

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His mother remains in hospital in critical condition. The motorcyclist, 54, of Hamilton, is also in hospital in critical, but stable condition.

McLachlan, a nursing student, said with no responders on scene yet, she headed straight to Wood while others called 911 and attended to the other two.

She quickly came to know Wood as James, and saw that his injuries were "catastrophic."

She tried to help and comfort him - cradling and stabilizing his neck with one arm and applying pressure on a head wound to try to stop the bleeding.

"I kept the conversation very light, and in a matter of moments it seemed like we were best friends," she recounted.

He was in excruciating pain, "and I told him to transfer that pain to me so I could bear it and make it a little easier for him. He must have thanked me a thousand times ...

"He asked if I would hold his hand. I grabbed it and I didn't let go."

An emotional McLachlan said as paramedics took James away later, she tried to eliminate any fear he might be experiencing.

She chokes up in retelling his response: "No. Why would I be scared with my Abbie angel by my side."

Those were his last words to her.

McLachlan and police both praised the Good Samaritans who came to the aid of the victims, but also slammed rude and impatient drivers, as well as bystanders who took advantage of the situation to take belongings from the injured victims lying in pain.

Area surveillance footage shows drivers continuing through the scene before police arrived, almost running over the injured again. And when officers arrived, one barrelling vehicle almost hit one of them.

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McLachlan said an "ignorant" pickup truck driver yelled at her to "get out of the f--- way."

Police said people also took evidence and the victims' belongings, although most have now been returned.

"It was terrible," said McLachlan. She saw one man picking out lottery tickets and yelled at him, which alerted another woman helping out, to stop him.

"How could you even remotely think of doing that?" she says of the inhumane actions.

Police are still looking for witnesses and any items taken from the scene that were not yet returned.

"We would just reiterate that fact . that we need people to return any items that were taken from the scene, and anybody who may have any information to please come forward so we can advance this investigation," said Hamilton police Const. Jerome Stewart on Monday.

Anyone who saw the collision but has not yet spoken to police, or anyone who has video footage, is asked to contact the collision reconstruction unit at 905-546-4753 or 905-546-4755.

McLachlan, who lives with her mother in the area, said she was only out to pick up distilled water for her daughter's baby formula.

"I do believe everything happens for a reason ... Our souls were drawn to each other," she says of her and Wood. "We never met, and we had 40 years between us ... James will forever hold a special place in my heart."

cfragomeni@thespec.com

905-526-3392 | @CarmatTheSpec