Parents Remember Cory Hubbard: 'He Was Put Here to Give Love'

Days after they heard the most heartbreaking news any parent could ever have to bear, Cory Hubbard's mother and father reflected on his beautiful life.

"He was a very special boy," his mother, Holly Hubbard, said Monday. "He was fun, easygoing, the life of the party. He always seemed to have a smile, and was always joking."

Friends and family were devastated to learn early Friday morning that Westhampton Beach native Hubbard, 22, a student at the University of Maryland, lost his life after he was struck by a hit-and-run driver.

According to the Prince George’s County Police Department, Hubbard was killed while trying to cross Baltimore Avenue at Knox Road in College Park on Friday at 2:00 a.m.

Friends from near and far have been reaching out to share with his parents the impact that the young man made on their lives.

"He was put here to make people's lives better, to give love and take love. That was his role, God's mission for him. And we're so lucky to have had him," his father Ralph Hubbard said. 

Their son, Hubbard said, loved to travel and enjoyed family trips to national parks across the country, including Zion and Bryce National Parks, the Rocky Mountains and the Bandelier Monument in New Mexico, exploring the mesas where pueblo cliff dwellers once lived.

"We were touring these ancient civilizations in the United States and he was this little kid, climbing on rocks," his dad remembered.

The young man took his penchant for travel and pursued it as a young college student, seeing Alaska, and most recently spending a semester in Australia and traveling to New Zealand, his father said.

"He said it was the trip of a lifetime," Hubbard remembered, his voice breaking with grief. "He was his inquisitive self. He always loved to travel."

Scores of friends shared their memories of their son, an athlete, a scholar, and a kind-hearted young man who touched the lives of so many.

"His college roommates were interviewed and said he was a peacekeeper," Holly Hubbard said. "He was the one always keeping everyone in check, as a lacrosse goalie, the one that gave everyone support on the field."

Even through their tears, the Hubbards were able to smile at a photo of a recent Halloween costume their son wore, as a "tourist," dressed to resemble his dad on their many adventures.

"He fashioned his attire after his dad, Ralph, and all the traveling we did," his mom said. 

The Hubbards said they and their eldest son Kyle want to thank the community for the tremendous outpouring of love they've received. 

"We are just blown away, by the amount of support and kindness. Everyone wants to do something. It's unbelievable. It's just a shame it has to come in the face of tragedy," she said.

The Hubbards have been receiving emails from all across the country from friends who traveled with their son.

"One friend told us that Cory was such a great guy. He taught him how to be confident, how to be genuine," his father said. 

Through sports, including lacrosse, football and wrestling, and through REACH, a program he pursued with the Westhampton Presbyterian Church, the young man "was quick to make friends," Hubbard said. "One girl told us that even though she'd only met him once, she'd never forget him."

“It is with deep sadness that we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the University of Maryland student killed this morning in a tragic, senseless accident,” said Wallace D. Loh, president of the University of Maryland in a statement. “In this time of loss, I ask that the entire Maryland family keep them in our thoughts and prayers.”

Hubbard, a 2010 graduate of Westhampton Beach High School was a senior at Maryland University studying Kinesiology.

Growing up in Westhampton Beach, Hubbard excelled on high school sports teams including lacrosse, wrestling and football.

Friends were heartbroken at the tragic news. "Cory was always full of a never-ending energy," said Joanna DeLeon. "He was blessed with a light that could shine for eternity. His smile made you smile and his laugh made you laugh. He brought joy to people's lives and I will always remember him that way."

The Westhampton Beach School District share the following sentiments: "The Westhampton Beach School District mourns the loss of Cory Hubbard, a 2010 graduate of Westhampton Beach High School. Cory was an exceptional young man who was held in the highest esteem by our faculty, his classmates, and the entire school community. He was an excellent student and a gifted athlete – but most importantly he was an outstanding human being who touched the lives of so many people in a positive way. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hubbard family during this difficult time."