Joe Bell, the La Grande man who embarked on a walk across America this spring to honor his son, Jadin Bell, a 15-year-old who killed himself after being bullied at school, was hit and killed by a semi-truck on a Colorado highway Wednesday evening.

A Facebook page chronicling Joe Bell’s journey – Joe’s Walk For Change – had a post this morning about his death.

“He will continue his journey now with Jadin. Please keep his family in your prayers and thoughts,” the Facebook post said.

A Colorado Springs TV station posted a story on its website saying that although police had not announced the victim’s name, he was a 48-year-old man from La Grande who was killed when he was struck by a truck driven by Kenneth Raven, 49, of a Bryan, Texas, trucking company.

The victim was walking east on the shoulder of Highway 40, 20 miles northwest of Kit Carson, Colo., when he was hit about 5:10 p.m. local time, according to KKTV.com.

State troopers said Raven might have fallen asleep at the wheel. He was cited for careless driving resulting in death, according to the TV station.

Jadin Bell, who was openly gay, had been bullied at La Grande High School before he completed suicide, according to friends and relatives.

Joe Bell said he planned to walk across the story and tell his son’s story to as many people as he could.