After his son was involved in an accident on Wednesday, Roger DeForest told The Messenger his son Kenny was ‘coherent, knew who he was, where he was and everything’ afterwards.
Days after Kenny DeForest died from a brain bleed on Wednesday, his father Roger DeForest is clarifying what led to his son’s sudden death at age 37.
Initially, friends and family believed the late comedian was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle in New York City. However, after an investigation was conducted by law enforcement, Roger told The Messenger that actually wasn’t the case.
“Some detectives just visited with us a little bit ago, and they went down
there and did a full investigation,” Roger said. “They talked to witnesses, they viewed video, and they [said] he simply fell off the [e-bike]. He was not struck by a car.”
The DeForests said Kenny was coherent after the collision, with the exception of “a little slurred speech.” He was immediately taken to Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he underwent surgery and later died.
“When it first happened, he got up and was talking,” Roger continued. “He was talking and, in fact, did get up. He was trying not to be taken to the hospital, but the EMT saw the head injury and thought that it was very necessary. He was coherent, knew who he was, where he was and everything. But he also had a little slurred speech. He kept saying, ‘I don’t want to go to the hospital.’ But he did. And then, of course, [his brain] started swelling.”
Kenny died Wednesday at Kings County Hospital “surrounded by his parents, family and friends.” Per his Instagram page , he was 37.
The late comedian underwent neurological surgery to remove a piece of his skull and relieve pressure from a brain bleed, Roger confirmed to The Messenger. He was not wearing a helmet.
“People need to remember to wear a helmet,” Roger urged.
Since his death, the DeForest family has received an outpouring of love and support from close friends and even some celebrities such as Kristen Bell, Phoebe Robinson and more who have donated to the family’s GoFundMe page.
“There’s just been an amazing amount of love shown to us,” Roger told The Messenger. “Everybody had so many good things to say about him. They’ve already had a celebration of life at The Gutter with all of his comedy friends where everybody talked about him as being their GOAT and the greatest person they’d ever known and all these things. He had just one of those spirits that when he entered the room with his smile, everybody wanted to be around him.”
The DeForests confirmed that Kenny will be cremated and sent back to his hometown Springfield, Mo. The family is currently planning a funeral and a celebration of life at a later date.
