The family of 15-year-old Daria Serkov is asking for privacy after the New York City teenager was involved in a devastating Citi Bike crash in Manhattan last week.
For the first time since the incident, Daria’s relatives have spoken publicly about the loss, describing the past several days as an unimaginable time for their family while asking the public to give them space to grieve.
Daria was riding a Citi Bike with a younger friend in the East Village on Friday evening, September 18, when the pair were involved in a collision with a large excavation truck near East 14th Street and First Avenue.
Police said the truck was making a right turn when it struck the two teenagers.
Daria suffered fatal injuries in the collision and was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased. Her 16-year-old friend was also injured and remained hospitalized in stable condition, according to police.
The circumstances surrounding the crash are still being investigated. The truck driver remained at the scene, and authorities had not announced any charges in connection with the incident at the time of the latest reports.
Her family asks for space
In a statement shared through a fundraising page, Daria’s relatives described the situation as an extraordinarily difficult period for the family.
They said they were trying to process their loss and spend time together, while also expressing frustration over the intense attention surrounding the case.
According to the family, journalists contacted them repeatedly, including at very late hours, and Daria’s name became public before relatives felt ready to share it themselves.
The family said the attention became so overwhelming that they eventually hired security.
At the same time, they acknowledged the kindness and support that has come from people who knew Daria and others who simply wanted to help.
A GoFundMe campaign created to support the family had raised more than $111,000 by Monday afternoon, according to reports.
Remembering Daria
Behind the headlines, Daria was remembered by friends and family as a vibrant teenager who enjoyed being active and spending time with the people around her.
She was also a twin, and her family has highlighted the importance of supporting her twin sister, Greta, during this difficult period.
A family friend created the fundraiser to help with funeral expenses and other costs while the family adjusts to what happened.
The fundraiser has also become a place where friends and members of the community can share their memories of Daria and offer support to her relatives.
Friends who posted tributes online described her as kind, welcoming and someone who could brighten the atmosphere around her.
Daria also had an interest in cycling. A photograph of her riding a Citi Bike from roughly a year earlier resurfaced following the crash, adding another personal detail to the story her friends and family are now sharing.
What happened on 14th Street?
The collision occurred around 9 p.m. Friday near the intersection of East 14th Street and First Avenue.
According to police, Daria and her friend were riding the same Citi Bike when the commercial truck attempted to turn right.
The two teenagers were struck during the turn.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene immediately afterward as people rushed to help the girls and emergency crews arrived.
The truck driver remained at the location and was reportedly visibly distressed following the collision. Police did not announce charges against the driver in the initial reports.
The investigation remains important because authorities have not publicly released a complete account of every moment leading up to the collision.
Investigators will need to determine the sequence of events, including the movements of the truck, the Citi Bike and the two teenagers immediately before the impact.
Support grows as the family mourns
While the investigation continues, support for Daria’s family has grown quickly.
The fundraising campaign has attracted donations from people who knew the family as well as strangers who learned about the teenager through news coverage.
The money is intended to help the family with funeral expenses and related costs while they navigate the difficult weeks ahead.
For relatives, however, the financial support is only one part of the response.
Their immediate request is simple: time and privacy.
They want the opportunity to remember Daria as a daughter, sister, twin and friend rather than have her life defined only by the circumstances of the crash.
Investigation continues
Authorities have not announced criminal charges against the truck driver as of the latest reports, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Daria’s 16-year-old friend was hospitalized following the collision, while investigators continue gathering information about what happened at the busy Manhattan intersection.
For Daria’s loved ones, the days ahead will be about coming together, supporting one another and remembering the teenager they knew.
Their public statement also reflects the complicated attention that can follow a high-profile tragedy: an outpouring of kindness on one side, and unwanted pressure on the other.
As the investigation continues, Daria’s family is asking for the chance to grieve away from the spotlight.
And for the people who knew her, the focus remains on remembering the 15-year-old girl behind the headlines — a twin, a friend and a young New Yorker whose life touched many people around her.