The friends of a man who was killed in a hit-and-run collision early Saturday are trying to raise funds to have his body sent back to his native Zimbabwe for burial.

Munyaradzi Sithole, 31, died in hospital Saturday after he was struck by a vehicle near St. Clair Avenue West and Symes Road, West of Keele Street.

He was found at the scene without vital signs around 5 a.m. He was revived several times, but succumbed to his injuries in hospital a few hours later.

Police said the driver of the vehicle fled the scene.

Friends say Sithole had been in the country about 10 years and was working to send money back home to his family. They also say the young man earned his Master’s degree at the University of Waterloo since coming to Canada and was starting his own moving business.

On a website set up to raise funds for his funeral, friends say the young man had just celebrated his 31st birthday the evening before he died.

“His family is in Zimbabwe and have no means to come to Canada,” friends wrote on the site. “We are appealing for your financial help to assist in repatriating his body so that his family can have a chance to say their final goodbye.”

As of Monday, the site had raised over $5,000 toward the $30,000 goal.

Police said Saturday afternoon that they were able to locate the suspect vehicle, a light-coloured minivan, and that an arrest is expected in the case.

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