"I'm sorry,” Vontelle Sparks said.

Two words that won't bring Lawrence Maturo back, but an apology his family needed to hear.

"I think if he would have walked in there and we got no response from him, it would have been that much harder,” said Stephanie Maturo, Lawrence’s cousin.

 

 

"He is a human being,” said Anna Maturo, Lawrence’s cousin. “Whether or not he was in a bad place, everybody deserves forgiveness. If we choose to carry that hate and all that with us for the rest of our lives, that's going to do us a disservice and we already lost enough."

Lawrence was riding his bike on West Taft Road when he was hit and killed by Sparks back in June –- dying three days before his 28th birthday.

Sparks fled and tried to cover it up. He eventually pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter, leaving the scene of a fatal accident and tampering with evidence. Sparks will spend up to 11 years in prison.

"I don't think there's any amount of time that could change anything,” said Anna. I just want to stick with the theme of what we all said, that we have one life and the best way we have to live it is to love to the fullest, be everybody's best friend and always forgive when you have the chance."

Before both families left, they hugged.

"We aren't the only victims,” said Anna. “Their family lost somebody for 11 years, granted ours is a life sentence. It's just as hard on them and they have to deal with the guilt."

While Lawrence’s family and friends try to cope with the tragic loss.

"I'm going to just work hard, be a good person and keep on shining because that's what he would have done,” said Anna.

"You're going to be remembered in so many ways Larry,” said Gwendolyn Maturo-Grasso, Lawrence’s mother. “The family is just embracing you. His legacy is just going to grow and grow."

The Maturo family is preparing to plant trees and install bike racks in honor of Lawrence.

The prosecutor says the co-defendants who helped Sparks cover up the crash will be sentenced Monday.