COCKEYSVILLE, Md. — Shellyn Snowden had two years of her oldest son back before he was ripped from her life, and ripped from his own young son's life.
She said now all she wants to do is make sure that the person who killed Ben, won't be able to hurt another family.
Shellyn told WMAR-2 News that her 37-year-old son Benjamin Ganger had a hard life, struggling with substance abuse disorder for years.
A mother's desperate plea after son was killed in hit-and-run
"My son had two years recovery from heroin addiction. So for years I was trying to prepare myself for - I called it the call," she said.
But nothing could've prepared her for the call she received on the night of June 29.
"It rang and he said this is detective Roberts and my brain said, you're two years too late, this is not happening, this cannot be reality."
Baltimore County Police say her son Ben was crossing York Road near Halesworth Road around 9:00 p.m. when he was hit by an Acura TL that drove off.
He was taken to the hospital where he died.
Unfortunately, Shellyn wasn't able to see him before he passed.
"I prayed over his body that God would use him to show redemption. After years of addiction he was enrolled in college, he was present he was making right choices, he was looking to the future," she told WMAR-2 News, "I want people to know they don't have to live that way, there is help."
Ben also left behind a six-year-old son who lives with Shellyn's nephew.
"A couple days ago, my nephew called me to tell me, they were in the car and he said, 'look at that, do you see that in the sky?' And my nephew said what are you looking at buddy. And he said, 'It's daddy and Jesus and Nene, who is my baby sister."
She and Ben were very similar, from their love of architecture to their jokes.
"Our sense of humor, we shared things that anybody else would probably institutionalize us for. I had - and I always, this is another important thing I want to say, always told him I loved him."
That's what she'd tell him if she got a chance to speak with him before he passed.
"I would tell him I love him again and I told him all the time how proud I am of him."
Police are still searching for the hit-and-run driver.
Shellyn has a lasting message for whoever took her son's life.
"To the person who killed my son with that car, please come forward. Your life will be ruined if you try to cover this up. You will do things that you don't want to do because you're trying to cover up and bury what you did. Please come forward and get the help you need and don't do this to another family please."
If you know anything about this fatal hit-and-run, call Baltimore County Police.
Head here for an online fund for Ben's six-year-old son to support him through the counseling he'll need after this tragedy.
