On Aug. 27 of last year, Brandon Bayens stood in a room at Obici Hospital, watching his girlfriend Nora Paitsel give birth to a baby girl named Hannah. Hannah joined her older brother in the family, which Brandon and Nora intended to complete with an upcoming engagement.

But it was never to be. Bayens would never get to watch his children grow up, or to place a ring on Nora’s finger. On Sept. 4, he died in a car accident, riding in a car with Bryon Miller on Hosier Road.

And Nora would have to raise her babies alone.

&uot;I don’t know what I’m going to do,&uot; she said Wednesday after Miller was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. &uot;It’s been horrible not having him around.&uot;

Brandon’s father Bryan, divorced from his mother Brenda since 1984, flew up from Georgia every summer to see his son, who had given Bryan his first grandchildren. On Wednesday, he came to town for a more tragic reason.

&uot;It was a shock for me,&uot; he said of his son’s death. &uot;It’s been devastating. I couldn’t eat lunch today.&uot;

After the verdict, Brenda handed out victim impact statement forms to Brandon’s friends and family, and said that she would speak at the sentencing.

&uot;There’s no victory,&uot; she said. &uot;The only victory would be to have my son back, and that’s not going to happen. He was all about family and friends. He would have done anything for me.&uot;

jason.norman@suffolknewsherald.com