NORTH PORT — Ian Cain, a father of five from Cape Coral, was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 near Mile Marker 175 earlier this month.

There were three separate crashes on the night of Sept. 16.

The first wreck, Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Kenn Watson said, involved a Subaru SUV and a Dodge Ram pickup. Both vehicles were traveling in the left lane traveling southbound on I-75, with the Ram behind the Subaru.

Watson said the Subaru driver slowed down, believing there was wildlife getting ready to run into the road. The driver of the Ram struck the back of the Subaru.

The Subaru was pushed off to the side of the road and the Ram was left disabled in the left lane.

Cain was driving the Ram. He exited his truck and got on his phone.

The Daily Sun spoke to his wife, Whitney, and she said he had called her and told her the situation.

“’Hey babe, I got in in a fender bender. This car brake checked me. I’m gonna call the cops. I’ll call you back,’” Whitney remembered him saying.

The call back never came.

After Ian hung up, he called the police and then was struck by the driver of an oncoming Honda Civic that had swerved to avoid the disabled Ram.

Cain died from his injuries after being taken to the hospital.

‘He was a dad first and foremost’

Whitney and Ian Cain had five children. His youngest is six months old.

“He was a dad first and foremost,” she said. “That was his favorite part of his life, having his kids. We just had our six-month-old baby boy, so he’s got three girls, and he finally got his little boy. He just loved really hard.”

New to the area, Whitney said her husband already made a lot of friends. He got a job selling solar panels and loved it.

“We moved to Florida two years ago, and I am home with the kids and don’t know a whole lot of people. But we had a little service for him Monday, and he filled our house full of people who loved and cared about him,” Whitney said.

According to an obituary about Ian, he was also passionate about music and was a talented guitarist.

But above all, he loved his family.

According to an obituary of his, Ian was preceded in death by his son, Lennox Alan Cain; his grandparents, brother and cousin.

He is survived by Whitney; children, Ellie, Hazel, Althea, and Achilles; his parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family members, and friends.

A family friend has started a GoFundMe to help Ian Cain’s family. So far, it has raised $27,300.

Whitney said she is grateful for the support as Ian was the family’s “sole source of income.”

“It’s been amazing to see those people who have supported us and and who he’s touched. I can’t thank anybody enough. He was our sole source of income. He was all we had. He took care of all of us and his parents as well. So it’s taking a big burden off of our backs right now,” Whitney said.

People can visit the GoFundMe at: tinyurl.com/ykzypa3z

Going into the future, Whitney wants people to use more caution on the roads.

“I want people to be more aware of their surroundings. I know it’s a road, and I know people go fast, but be aware you’re not the only person on the road,” Whitney said. “There are millions of others out there and things like this shouldn’t happen.”

With a shaking voice, Whitney said “but, also, his words to me, had I have been the one in the car accident, would have been: ‘Don’t get out of the car.’”