A devastating traffic tragedy on Staten Island, New York has left the tight-knit Belizean immigrant community and the family of 72-year-old Leton Meyers in mourning, as loved ones push the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to release full transparency about the circumstances that led to his fatal death on May 15.
Originally from Burrell Boom, Belize, Meyers had built a life in New York City for decades, settling in the West New Brighton neighborhood of Staten Island after immigrating. According to initial investigations from the New York Police Department’s Collision Investigation Squad, the fatal incident unfolded at a local bus stop. As the MTA bus began pulling away from the curb, Meyers stumbled backward into the roadway, and the vehicle’s rear tires struck him, causing catastrophic injuries. The family confirmed he died from severe blunt force trauma sustained in the collision.
To date, the MTA has not released a full public disclosure of the incident’s details, leaving the grieving family to navigate their loss while demanding a complete explanation of how the preventable tragedy unfolded. In a heartfelt public statement, Meyers’ family remembered him as a generous community builder who dedicated his life to opening his home to anyone in need. “This was a man who spent his life opening his home to everyone and building community,” the statement read. “To lose him in such a violent and horrific way has shattered our family. We are grieving while also searching for accountability and answers from the MTA about how this happened.”
Meyers was born and raised in Burrell Boom, where he completed his education at St. John’s Technical School before moving to the United States to build his career. A skilled and knowledgeable technician, he spent decades working for major industry firms including Ricoh and Ikon, earning a reputation across his field for unwavering dedication and sharp technical expertise.
Alongside his wife Effie, Meyers turned their Staten Island home into a safe haven for neighbors, friends, extended family, foster children, and any person seeking support or a sense of belonging. Effie shared that her husband’s core value was making everyone feel like part of the family: “He wanted people to feel like family. No one left our home hungry, unwelcome, or alone.”
Meyers is survived by his wife Effie, two adult children Samantha and VaSeann, and granddaughter Jaslene. Jaslene emphasized that the family wants Meyers remembered for the kind, generous man he was, not the violent circumstances of his passing: “My Grandpa didn’t deserve to die that way. We want him to be remembered for who he was, not how or why he died.”
Notably, Samantha Meyers described the incident as a tragedy that impacted all parties involved, extending quiet empathy to the bus driver as well as her father. “It was a tragic accident for both parties, for the driver of the bus and for him,” she told the New York Daily News.
A well-known and beloved figure in Staten Island’s growing Central American immigrant community, Meyers leaves behind a legacy of radical generosity, warm hospitality, and deep pride in his Belizean heritage that touched dozens of lives across the city.
In the wake of his sudden passing, Jaslene has launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign to cover the cost of funeral arrangements and end-of-life expenses, explaining that the goal is to give her grandfather the dignified burial he was denied: “Every person deserves a dignified end of life. He was robbed of that and we want to make sure we give him that as we lay him to rest.”