Family is closer after Florence Ngwu’s Mother’s Day death

Metro

exclusive

By Dean Balsamini

May 13, 2023 | 7:55am

A tight-knit Queens family has “become closer” since Florence Ngwu, a mom of four, was crushed to death between two parked cars in a horrific hit-and-run crash on Mother’s Day last year. 

“We’ve always been close. Since we were young we’ve treated each other like best friends. Honestly, we’ve become closer. That’s the only way we learned how to cope,” eldest child Princess Ngwu, 25, told The Post.

The tragedy occurred last May 8 at 8:30 a.m. when an out-of-control, stolen truck slammed into a car outside the family’s Jamaica home, pinning the nurse between two cars as her daughter screamed in horror.

“Mommy! Mommy!” the child screamed, as neighbors scrambled to call 911, video previously obtained by The Post shows.

Ngwu succumbed to massive head injuries the next day at Jamaica Hospital.

Five months later, on Oct. 13, cops collared Roosevelt Rose, 56, and charged him with murder.

He was making a U-turn in a stolen, heavy-duty Ford F-550 at 167th Street and 120th Avenue when Ngwu was struck and fled the scene, cops said.

The family does not forgive Rose — who is currently being held without bail on Riker’s Island — for his deadly behavior.

“It wasn’t an accident. He wasn’t remorseful at all,” Princess Ngwu said.

“We don’t think too much about the accident unless we absolutely have to as far as the case goes.

“We are happy that he’s finally off the street, but I don’t think we’ll ever feel like justice has been served.”

The four siblings and their dad prefer to focus on the present — and not their mom’s accused killer.

“We don’t talk about him. We don’t care what happens to him,” Princess said.

“As far as the case goes, I’m the one that deals with that — so [the rest of the family] don’t have to. … We only think about the happy times we had with our mom — and how much we miss her.”

Her mom was deeply religious, but she also liked to dance to Afrobeats and was a big fan of the late rapper Pop Smoke, the eldest daughter recalled.

“She didn’t know what he was saying exactly, but she was vibing to it,” she laughed, adding the entire family enjoyed “breaking into performance” at the house where they still reside.

The family had a memorial mass for their late mom May 7 at The Church of the Blessed Sacrament in Valley Stream. She was buried in June in her native Nigeria.

The family is gathering upstate on Saturday when her brother Prince, 22, graduates from SUNY Albany. “We shall celebrate in the moment. Of course we wish she [Mom] was here. Of course, it’ll probably be hard for him but we’ll make the best of it,” Princess said.

The four Ngwu children are all close in age. Both sons are named Prince and both daughters, Princess.

“But we have different middle names,” the older Princess laughed.

Said the soldiering daughter: “When we are all together we make the best out of it. We stay up ’til six, seven in the morning just talking and laughing.

“That’s also what makes my dad happy. He doesn’t mind the noise as long as he knows we’re happy.”