StormBurger in North Long Beach will hold a fundraiser Friday, Oct. 23, to help the family of a 72-year-old Long Beach woman who was killed by a hit-and-run driver.
It’s a fitting tribute for Song Tate, who made a habit of making sure people in her neighborhood were fed — even strangers. Tate’s daughter Sonya Rose said people she’d never met have shown up to mourn her mother, saying she often gave them food.
Staff at StormBurger knew Rose through her work with local youth, and they were heartbroken to hear of Tate’s death, said general manager Sergio Azucena.
They chose to honor Tate’s generous spirit through a fundraiser, Azucena said.
From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, a portion of StormBurger’s sales from its location at 5801 Cherry Avenue will go to Rose to help cover funeral costs.
Police have not yet caught the driver who hit Tate. They recently released an image of the suspected vehicle.
It hit her on the night of Sept. 5 on Long Beach Boulevard near 23rd Street.
Tate’s death comes amid a rise in the number of fatal traffic collisions on Long Beach roadways. She’s one of 22 pedestrians who have been killed in crashes so far this year. That’s more than the number of homicides locally.
Last year, 28 pedestrians died in 53 fatal crashes — the highest total the city has seen in more than a decade.
On Sunday, Rose held a celebration of life for her mother and extended an open invitation to the community.
In an online post, she wrote, “To everyone who showed up, checked on me, prayed for me, and helped carry me through the days where my heart felt a little too heavy – thank you. You all reminded me that I’m not alone.”