This is the first picture of ‘fantastic mother’ who died after she was hit by a Tesco lorry outside of the London cafe where she worked.
Known to her friends as Lili, she lived with her son under half a mile from the crash scene on Mare Street in Hackney.
Flowers, candles and her photograph have been left outside the cafe where she worked.
Lili was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision, that happened at around 11am yesterday.
Freddie Charles, a friend and neighbour of Lili told Metro that she was originally from Moldova but had lived in London for over a decade.
She said: ‘I am in total shock. She was a fantastic mother and lovely person.
‘Her son is devastated. My son and hers are friends, we have been neighbours for a long time. I just can’t believe she has gone.
‘She worked at the cafe and was hit outside. I don’t know whether she was going to work or what.
‘She was hard working and told me in Moldova she had loved to sing. This is such a sad loss, such a lovely person.’
There are roadworks on Mare Street and Ms Charles told Metro that the area was dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.
She told Metro: ‘It’s so dangerous here. I usually cycle but I’m leaving my bike home today.
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‘Something needs to be done about road safety around here.’
A shop worker, 23, told Metro: ‘I heard a shout, looked out and saw panicked people looking at a person lying in the road.
‘There was a lorry at a strange angle. There was a big crowd as it was such a busy time of day.
‘One man who was close to it looked so pale, like the blood had been drained from him. It was just horrific.’
John Choi told Metro: ‘She was such a lovely bubbly chatty lady. I saw her just on Friday.
‘I am a sales rep for Coke and was at her cafe to ask if they need anything.
‘It’s heartbreaking.’
An investigation has been launched by the Met as accident investigators trawl through CCTV from the area.
A Metropolitan Police statement said: ‘Police were called at around 8am on Monday to reports of a lorry in collision with a pedestrian in Mare Street in Hackney.
‘Emergency services attended. Despite the efforts of officers and paramedics sadly the female pedestrian died at the scene.’
Any witnesses are asked to call 101.
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