A forklift operator killed on the job earlier this month had decades of experience and was safety-minded when it came to his work, according to his family.

Phillip Vargas, 54, was killed on Jan. 3 in an industrial accident at the 10th Street Terminal in Barrio Logan. According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner, Vargas was operating a forklift when he struck a cement pillar and fell out of the forklift. The forklift continued to move, running over Vargas. He died at the scene.

Vargas’ family says he was a third-generation longshoreman who worked on the waterfront since the age of 16.

“It was heartbreaking, unbelievable, the most incredible pain you could ever feel in your life. It’s still not real, it’s so raw,” said Kristina Garcia, Vargas’ daughter.

Read the full article at NBC San Diego