It happened Sunday night while 24-year-old Ezequiel Morales was helping a stranded driver on the 4800 block of Whitaker Avenue.
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Authorities said they have recovered the white van involved near the crime scene, but police are still searching for the suspect.
Action News spoke with a resident who heard the crash.
"I could hear the thump in my house," said Elizabeth McDonald. "I heard the young man getting his tire fixed say, 'Oh my God. They hit him. They hit him.'"
SEE ALSO: Man killed in hit-and-run crash in Philadelphia; police searching for driver
"He had put his jacket and stuff back in the trunk and he went to the driver's side. And when he got to his door, he was gone," recalled McDonald.
The victim's aunt, Lia Muniz, is begging the person who hit her nephew to turn themselves in and do the right thing.
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"He has two children. He has a little girl and a little boy. He was a great nephew, hard worker and getting his life together," she said.
His girlfriend described the heart-wrenching moment she knew something was wrong.
"I kept calling him. I had a feeling something was up. I just knew it because he never misses a call," said Samantha Vargas.
No arrests have been made and police have not provided a description of the wanted driver.
"Maybe you're scared. I don't know, I don't know what you were thinking, but your best bet is to turn yourself in," added Muniz.
The 6abc Data Team has found there have been 39 fatal hit-and-runs in Philadelphia this year, 28 of those involved pedestrians.