HILLSBORO, Ore. — A Hillsboro mother is grieving the unexpected and tragic loss of her 12-year-old son. Joseph Michael Brausen was hit and killed while riding his bike over the weekend, the boy's family said. He was a sixth grader at Lincoln Street Elementary School.
"He was on his way to play basketball and never made it," said Sarah Brausen, the boy's mother. "For even half a second, if he was crying out in pain and I wasn't there, that tears me up inside."
The crash happened near Southeast 10th Avenue and Southeast Baseline Street around 4:10 p.m. on Saturday. Sarah Brausen said she hadn't heard from her son for a couple of hours and he wasn't answering his phone. She was able to track down the location of his phone through the Family Link app, she said. She pulled onto the highway and saw police tape and lights.
"I drove as close as I could to the police tape, and I ran into the police tape, and then his bike was laying there," she said.
A memorial at the site of the crash continued to grow on Monday as loved ones like his sister, Madison, remembered the good times they shared together.
"He's my little brother," she said. "My favorite picture was the ones taken next to Lewis and Clark (in Seaside), at the end of the Oregon Trail. I had stolen his hat, and he wasn't going to take it back from me... until I made him mad later that day."
His mother said he was loved by many people.
"Everyone who met him fell in love with him," Sarah Brausen said. "He was such a such a character. We liked to laugh and joke that he had such a mouthpiece on him. He could band her back-and-forth and everyone really enjoyed that about Joe."
The driver of the vehicle remained on scene and cooperated with investigators. At last check, they were not facing charges.
Sarah Brausen said she hopes officials might consider safety improvements to the area where the crash happened. She questioned why and how this happened to her son.
"My son never gets to come home again. It still doesn't feel real," she said.
To cover unexpected funeral expenses, family and friends have set up a GoFundMe page.
More Than A Number aims to help give a face and a voice to victims and families impacted by tragedies. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a homicide and would like to share your story, you can reach out to us by sending an email to morethananumber@kgw.com.