Dustin Long loved to sing and learn about the stars, his heartbroken family said
A mother is sharing her heartbreak after her 25-year-old son with autism was fatally struck by a bus on a Missouri interstate earlier this month.
“You constantly have to be on high alert,” Donna Long told NBC affiliate KYTV following the death of her son, Dustin Long, on Thursday, April 2, in Springfield.
“Because you don’t get the break from just relaxing because they’re quiet or something,” she said of the dangers of a child or adult with autism wandering unsupervised. “Because you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Just before 5 a.m. local time on April 2, officers responded to reports of a vehicle-pedestrian crash on Interstate 44 under the Kansas Expressway bridge, the Springfield Police Department said in a statement.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Dustin was traveling north across the highway when he was hit by a 2025 Chevy bus driven by Wayne Robinson, a 58-year-old man from Georgia. The 25-year-old pedestrian died at the scene, officials said.
Spokespersons for the Springfield Police Department and the Greene County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that investigations into the crash and the cause and manner of Dustin’s death are ongoing.
Dustin and his twin brother, Dylan, were both diagnosed with autism, their mother told KYTV. Following the diagnosis, Donna was not certain if Dustin would ever speak, but he was eventually able to talk and even sing.
“He loved to sing,” Donna told the outlet. “And he would sing ‘Smoke on the Water.’ All the rock songs.”
The morning of his death, Donna discovered that one of the windows in their house was open and quickly called for help, KYTV reported.
“He snuck out the window,,” Donna told the outlet, explaining how surprising that was given “there was furniture in front” of it. Just a short time later, officials found Dustin, but it was too late.
Wandering, or elopement, is the tendency of a person with autism to leave their caretaker or a safe area, according to the National Autism Association. While wandering is common in young children with autism, the behavior can persist or re-emerge later.
The organization says that “people with autism are vulnerable to dangerous situations, including drowning, traffic incidents, becoming trapped [in] hot cars, etc.” For that reason, caregivers are encouraged to take precautions and have a safety plan in place.
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In a message posted on a GoFundMe set up to cover funeral expenses, “heartbroken” relative Ryan Long described Dustin as “a kind and innocent soul who brought love and warmth to our family every day.”
“Dustin always found ways to show he cared,” added Ryan, who did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment, “offering us comfort and affection in his own special way.”