The family has created two scholarships in Ayden’s name, one to support families with financial need to attend Ayden’s former preschool, and another in support of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center Education Foundation, to honor Ayden’s love of space and flight.
“What are we left with? We’re left only with an opportunity to honor Ayden’s life and spirit by doing good,” Fang said.
But the father cited a greater mission: “To prevent just one other family from experiencing what therapists and other grief experts call the worst loss,” he said.
Fang and Liu brought a Lego tower to the press conference that Ayden had constructed two days before his death. As the 4-year-old built, the family said, Ayden incorporated blocks that said “Protect our city,” with four animals perched at the top, overlooking what happens below.
When the parents looked more closely at his work in the days following his death, the structure became a call from Ayden to protect others, which had been a key element of who he was.
“Nothing can lessen the pain of missing his hugs, his kisses, his acts of kindness,” Fang said. “But by taking action today, we can create opportunities.”
Fang said he and his family hope for contrition from the families involved in the crash, for elected leaders to enact stricter laws on children riding e-bikes and for the Department of Motor Vehicles to “take reckless drivers off our streets.”
“The family has made clear to us from the beginning that this case is not about money,” McCarthy said. “It’s about saving lives and improving safety.”
In January 2026, San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe declined to file charges, citing insufficient evidence of criminal negligence.