More than £10,000 raised for family of 'gentle' dad killed on walk home

More than £10,000 has been raised for the family of a man who died after being hit by a car while walking home from his work.

Alaaya Bolaji Abdulhaleem was returning from a night shift on the morning of Saturday, December 16, at his job at Abbey House at Auchlishie Farm on the outskirts of Kirriemuir, Angus, when the incident happened.

Known to family and friends as Abdul, the 38-year-old was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee but died on Monday, December 18.

Tributes have been paid to the “kind and gentle” man who was married with two young children, as a fundraiser set up by members of staff at the home to support his family hit £10,000 within two days.

A spokesperson for Abbey Care Services, which owns the home, told STV News: “Abdul was extremely kind and gentle, he always smiling. Always happy, always.

“He made a really significant impact on one particular client who was out in the community, a man he went to every week.

“He spent quite long days with him and I know he’s feeling the loss of Abdul greatly because he really did make a difference.

“He would have done personal care and things like watching a movie together with the man. Abdul enabled that man’s life, to go out and do other things.

“Abdul was a very clever man, he could speak lots of different languages.

“Initially people were asking what they could do. It’s a difficult time of year for people to put their hands in their pockets but it’s been phenomenal of the people of Kirriemuir and the surrounding areas.”

Abbey Care Services said it is working closely with the local community to further support Mr Abdulhaleem’s family.

Emergency services were called to the B955 between Kirriemuir and Cortachy at around 8.30am on Saturday, December 16.

A car had struck Mr Abdulhaleem causing serious injuries and he was taken to Ninewells where he later died.

Police Scotland has issued an appeal for information.

A spokesperson for the force said: “Enquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the crash and officers at Tayside Divisional Road Policing Department would like to hear from anyone who may have seen the man walking on the B955 road around this time or anyone who has dashcam footage of him walking on the road or of the crash.

“Anyone with information should contact police via 101 and quote incident number 1043 of December 16, 2023.”