Yingyi Li-Dikov, 30, was killed on Sunday when a giant tree toppled in Kissena Park, crushing the bench she was sitting. The couple’s 6-month-old unborn child did not survive.
On Monday afternoon, Aleksander Dikov, 20, sobbed as he and his Bulgarian immigrant parents laid flowers by the fallen tree.
Aleksander Dikov is comforted by his parents
near the scene where his pregnant wife, Yingyi Li-Dikov, and unborn were
killed by a toppling tree in Kissena Park, New York
Originally from China, Yingyi Li-Dikov was ten
years older than her husband Aleksander Dikov, whose parents were
Bulgarian immigrants
The couple married in 2012 and were expecting a daughter, Christine, in November.
'She was the best for me. I don't think I can find any other girl like her. I can't believe it,' Dikov, told DNAinfo.
'Every day, she'd go to the park with me or by herself,' he added. 'I wish I went with her. I wish I could've prevented it. I blame it on myself.'
Originally from China, Li-Dikov was ten years older than her husband and when he enlisted in the Army National Guard, she had moved to San Antonio to be with him during basic training.
The couple had been married for just over a year after meeting four years ago at the Flushing Y.M.C.A., where Li-Dikov worked
When Aleksander Dikov, right, enlisted in the
Army National Guard his wife, left, moved to San Antonio, Texas to be
with him during basic training
They had met four years ago at the Flushing Y.M.C.A., where she worked.
Her death has been described as ‘a tragic accident’ by a spokesman for the parks department.
That area of the park had been inspected as recently as June 20 and the 70-year-old tree was 50 feet tall and snapped about 8 feet from the ground.
Horrified witnesses described seeing Li-Dikov, 30 pinned under the large oak tree, bleeding profusely from the head.
Critics of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg were quick to point out that the death of Li-Dikov, who went by the American name Angel, should not be called an accident because it was the result of years of poor management of old trees in parks across the city.
Tragic: Yingyi Li, 30, was sitting on this park bench when an oak tree suddenly fell and smashed her head
Horrifying: Horrified witnesses at Kissena Park
in Flushing, Queens, described how Yingyi Li, 30, pictured, was pinned
under the oak tree branch, bleeding profusely from the head
'Not an accident': Critics of New York Mayor
Michael Bloomberg were quick to point out that the death of Li should
not be called an accident because it was the result of years of poor
management of old trees in parks across the city
'This is the twelfth injury over the last eight weeks,' Geoffrey Croft, president of New York City Park Advocates,' told WCBS-TV.
'We have been calling on the city to properly inspect its trees, maintain its trees, and it is outrageous.
Witnesses said it was a calm evening in Kissena Park when Li-Dikov was killed, with hardly even a breeze.
An EMT who happened to be in the park rushed over and quickly pulled Li-Dikov out and rushed her to the hospital, but she was pronounced dead on arrival.
One witness, Sam Kim, said the oak tree crashed down without any warning.
'We were standing around, and just heard a loud crash and a boom,' he said.
'So my friend and I - we ran over, and when we got there, we saw a girl lying face down and blood just pouring out of her head.'
Critics of the New York City Parks Department say the tree fell as a result of poor maintenance by the department over the years
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