The family of a driver who was killed in a crash during an event at the Keystone Raceway in New Alexandria is remembering their loved one. Ronnie J. Ruggiero, 37, of Irwin, was driving his Ford truck in a race when he crashed on Oct. 7. His fiance, Carly Oakes, said his family and racing was his life. “We were his pit crew. There weren’t six guys with him. It was me and his two kids who were his pit crew,” she said. Oakes and Ruggiero had been together for 18 years and have two children together. Going to the raceway was a family affair, with everyone involved. One of Ruggiero’s prized possessions was his dad’s old work truck, which he completely restored and raced. “I would do the air pressure. He would do this. We would do the fuel together. Our son Rocco is 5 and he would help put the hood pins on,” she said. On Oct. 7, their lives were forever changed. As soon as Oakes heard the announcer say someone hit the sand barrier, she knew Ruggiero was gone. “Before they even told me he was gone, I knew he was gone. His heart was my heart,” she said. The Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office did not perform an autopsy because of protocol. They said they did tell the family they believed Ruggiero had a heart event prior to the crash. “If a person shows evidence of fatal injury following the collision and there is no appearance of criminal culpability, there is no autopsy,” Coroner Tim Carson said. Oakes wanted the autopsy and hired a medical examiner to find out what exactly happened that day on the race track. The autopsy found Ruggiero had an occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery that caused him to have a cardiac event during the race. It is known as the “widowmaker,” and it made him go unconscious while he was driving, which is why he could not brake. “I knew in my heart it wasn’t the truck, it wasn’t the track, and it wasn’t Ronnie just doing it on purpose. Not braking. He would never do that to me. He would never do that to the kids,” Oakes said.To donate to the family, click here. To sign up for their meal train, click here.
The family of a driver who was killed in a crash during an event at the Keystone Raceway in New Alexandria is remembering their loved one.
Ronnie J. Ruggiero, 37, of Irwin, was driving his Ford truck in a race when he crashed on Oct. 7. His fiance, Carly Oakes, said his family and racing was his life.
“We were his pit crew. There weren’t six guys with him. It was me and his two kids who were his pit crew,” she said.
Oakes and Ruggiero had been together for 18 years and have two children together. Going to the raceway was a family affair, with everyone involved. One of Ruggiero’s prized possessions was his dad’s old work truck, which he completely restored and raced.
“I would do the air pressure. He would do this. We would do the fuel together. Our son Rocco is 5 and he would help put the hood pins on,” she said.
On Oct. 7, their lives were forever changed. As soon as Oakes heard the announcer say someone hit the sand barrier, she knew Ruggiero was gone.
“Before they even told me he was gone, I knew he was gone. His heart was my heart,” she said.
The Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office did not perform an autopsy because of protocol. They said they did tell the family they believed Ruggiero had a heart event prior to the crash.
“If a person shows evidence of fatal injury following the collision and there is no appearance of criminal culpability, there is no autopsy,” Coroner Tim Carson said.
Oakes wanted the autopsy and hired a medical examiner to find out what exactly happened that day on the race track.
The autopsy found Ruggiero had an occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery that caused him to have a cardiac event during the race. It is known as the “widowmaker,” and it made him go unconscious while he was driving, which is why he could not brake.
“I knew in my heart it wasn’t the truck, it wasn’t the track, and it wasn’t Ronnie just doing it on purpose. Not braking. He would never do that to me. He would never do that to the kids,” Oakes said.
To donate to the family, click here. To sign up for their meal train, click here.
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