A Life Taken Too Soon, A Family Left Shattered
In the quiet early hours of August 18, 2025, the life of Thomas Edward Israel, 34, was tragically and violently cut short. While riding his bike on M-29 near Martindale Court in Cottrellville Township, Thomas was struck by a vehicle and left to die alone in the roadway. The driver never stopped. The moment has left not just a crime scene—but a family in pieces, grappling with unimaginable grief and unanswered questions.
Thomas was more than a name in a report—he was a son, a brother, a friend, and a man with dreams, talents, and a gentle heart. His sudden death has shocked the St. Clair community, especially his brother, Arthur “AJ” Israel Jr., who had spent the night before laughing and sharing a heartfelt conversation with Thomas. That final memory is now etched in sorrow.
“I just lost it,” AJ said through tears. “I didn’t know what to think until we went and ID’d his body. And then I just started doing whatever I could to help find this guy.”
He Wasn’t Just a Victim—He Was Loved Deeply
Thomas lived a humble, hardworking life and was known for his love of music, computers, and good conversation. He worked at Riviera Restaurant in Marine City and often used his free time to build computers and share laughs with friends and family. Those close to him say he had a soft-spoken kindness and a work ethic that made him unforgettable.
The night of the accident, Thomas had left AJ’s house briefly to grab cigarettes. When he didn’t return, AJ thought he had simply gone home or fallen asleep. But by morning, a knock at the door changed everything. A detective informed the family that Thomas had been found dead—alone on the road—his bicycle nearby, the result of a hit-and-run.
It’s a pain that words can’t touch. The reality that someone could hit a human being and leave them behind, without care, without even a call to 911, is something the family cannot understand.
A Plea for Justice, A Cry for Humanity
Now, with their hearts broken and their lives forever altered, Thomas’s family is begging the driver responsible to come forward. Not for punishment—but for closure. For peace. For the basic decency of admitting what happened and acknowledging the life that was lost.
“I hope they’re losing sleep at night,” AJ said. “I would have stopped. I would have called—at least held his hand or something, so he wasn’t alone.”
That’s the kind of person Thomas was—someone who wouldn’t have left another soul in pain. And that’s what he deserved in his final moments: dignity, compassion, and humanity.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office. The family is not only asking for help—they are crying out for justice. For Thomas. For closure. For a brother who didn’t deserve to die this way.
Rest in peace, Thomas Edward Israel. You were loved, you were cherished, and you will not be forgotten.
