Funds Being Raised To Bring Man's Body Home To Brazil After FL Crash

SARASOTA, FL — The family of a 21-year-old motorcyclist killed in a hit-and-run crash in Sarasota last week is raising the money needed to bring his body home to Brazil and pay for funeral costs, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser.

Leonardo Adams was hit by an SUV near the intersection of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and Fruitville Road the night of April 4, Patch previously reported. The SUV’s driver left the scene.

“On April 4th, 2023, the world lost a bright young man, Leonardo, in a tragic hit and run motorcycle accident in Sarasota, Florida. He was only 21 years old and had a whole life ahead of him. Unfortunately, his sudden death has left his family and friends devastated and struggling to come to terms with their loss,” the GoFundMe reads.

• Also Read: Motorcyclist Killed In Sarasota County Hit-And-Run, Driver Sought: FHP

Florida Highway Patrol Troopers found a 2020 Audi SUV with damage to it abandoned on I-75. They believe it may have been involved in the fatal hit-and-run.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office told WTSP that they believe the Audi’s driver was stealing catalytic converters at a business on Tower Lane just before the crash. The SUV was traced back to the business, and detectives say the driver may have run the red light at the intersection to get away from the scene of the crime.

Adams, was an avid motorcyclist, dreamed of one day becoming a pilot. He lived in Sarasota with his immediate family — his parents and siblings — but the majority of his relatives are in Brazil, according to reports.

"He worked hard, and he wanted to build his life here and his mom as well. He wanted to be a pilot. He had been riding motorcycles, as far as I know, his whole life; he was very experienced," his friend, Stephanie Tirotti, told Fox 13.

As of Tuesday afternoon, nearly $8,600 of the $30,000 fundraising goal has been raised.

“Leonardo's family resides in Brazil, and they are desperate to bring his body back home for a proper funeral and burial,” according to the GoFundMe page. “However, the cost of transporting his body from Florida to Brazil is exorbitant and far beyond their means. The family is already struggling to make ends meet and this added financial burden is almost impossible to bear.”