The devastated parents of a 20-year-old cyclist are pleading for the driver of the vehicle that struck and killed him in Whitchurch-Stouffville on Tuesday to come forward.

Daunte Thompson-Bruce was riding southbound on Ninth Line, near Bethesda Sideroad, sometime between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. when he was hit by a vehicle travelling in the same direction.

Police say the driver did not remain on the scene.

A passerby spotted the injured cyclist’s mangled bicycle on the roadside and found him in a nearby ditch.

He died at the scene.

“Based on the evidence we’ve recovered, we believe that the driver would know that they struck something,” Det. Rich Gaudet told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.

“We’re just urging witnesses to come forward so we can pin down the make, model, colour and potentially the license plate number.”

Friends previously told CTV News Toronto that Thompson-Bruce had spent the night at a friend’s house about a 20 minute bike ride north from where he was hit.

The former high-school track star was an avid cyclist, friends said, adding that the early morning ride wasn’t unusual for him.

Through sobs, Thompson-Bruce’s parents described the pain their family has endured since they got the news. They said they’re filled with “rage” and “immense anger” at the sudden and untimely loss of their son.

“Yesterday was our other son’s birthday. So we were wishing him happy birthday and sending him off to school and then we found out our other son was dying,” his mother, Felicia Thompson, said through tears.

The oldest of four siblings, Thompson-Bruce was “always kind to everybody,” she said.

He was in his second year of studies at Seneca College for business administration and had a passion for running. The family said he had just started summer break and was looking for work to help pay for his next semester.

“This is the greatest fear any parent could know. Your baby you nurtured through life, your baby who had dreams and aspirations is now hurt alone and not knowing if he would ever see his mom and dad, his two younger brothers and his sister again,” his mother said, her voice choked with emotion.

“To the motorist, how could you leave him to die?”

Police are asking anyone who notices or is aware of a vehicle with “fresh damage” to call them immediately. They say they have little information about the circumstances surrounding the crash due to the remote area in which it occurred.

“There are a lot of pieces of evidence that we’ve collected and are analyzing,” Gaudet said, adding that they’re taking the lack of street lights in the area into consideration.

The family urged residents of York Region and beyond to be on the lookout for a damaged vehicle. They said it’s possible that the driver was a visitor to the area, as the crash happened over the Victoria Day weekend.

“To the person who did this, I would suggest please find yourself a lawyer and turn yourself in,” his mother said.

“It will only get harder as the days go by.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up by friends of Thompson-Bruce to help his family with funeral costs. The family says any remaining funds will be donated to a charity “close to Daunte’s heart.”

Anyone with information is being asked to call York Regional Police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.