A Birmingham grandfather was walking home from eating with friends when a driver hit and killed him and fled the scene.

Fabin Houston “Pops” Boyd, 70, was killed in a hit-and-run one week ago today.

His grieving family says they still don’t know who killed their loved one, and why they left him there to die.

“That took a big piece of my heart when that happened,’’ said his sister, Charise Boyd, “and it’s hard to deal with.”

The deadly crash happened just before 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, on Finley Boulevard between 16th and 17th Street North. Fabin Boyd was dead on the scene.

Charise Boyd said her eldest brother was walking home from the Salvation Army, a place he went often to eat and visit with friends.

“He was crossing the street,” she said, “and a car struck him and hit him and kept going.”

Charise Boyd said she saw her brother at least every other day and had gone to his apartment looking for him on that Thursday.

“Nobody had seen him,’’ she said. “I was waiting on him and waiting on him.”

“I always told him to get home before dark because of the traffic, and he’d say, ‘Aight, sis,’’’ she said.

“I had to keep on top of him,’’ Charise Boyd said with a chuckle, “because he was hard-headed, being an old man.”

The family was heartbroken to find out where he was – the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.

“It’s devastating,’’ Charise Boyd said. “They took a big piece of me.”

Fabin Boyd, family said, was outgoing and fun.

“He was always full of laughter and joy,’’ his sister said. “He never met a stranger.”

“He was always upbeat, never a sad face,’’ she said. “He was always willing to help anybody he could.”

Fabin Boyd left behind three adult children and five grandchildren.

Family members gathered midday Thursday at the spot where Fabin Boyd was killed. They spoke fondly of him and released blue balloons in his memory.

“This is a bittersweet day,’’ Charise Boyd said. “This is one week today that he was killed out here by a person that struck him down and kept going.”

“They took someone very meaningful to us,’’ she said. “”He was the best.”

The family said they have not received any information on the investigation.

“An arrest is my goal,’’ Charise Boyd said. “To find out who would take his life like that with no conscience.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Birmingham police or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.