A couple of months ago, I noticed this memorial at the
corner of El Camino Real and Henderson:
When you see something like that—even at a distance—you know
that someone’s had a day much worse than you’ve ever seen, especially when there
are stuffed toys involved.
It turns out that Juan Pablo Garcia Venegas was struck by
a car while riding his bike on the night of 15 July, and died of his injuries
later. He would have been 13 this week. I can't find any details on the accident; there's a Carl's Jr. right at that corner, and a Starbucks the next block over. I wonder if Juan and his friends were out late getting something cold to drink; or just out for a ride. His
mother was the sole parent, and the community pitched in to help her give her
son a funeral.
There’s video of the aftermath, but I’m not linking to
it. I realized while watching it that I could well have heard the first
responders going to the scene—I hear everything that comes down El Camino, and
Henderson is only a few blocks away. Whenever I hear the sirens—fire engines,
EMTs, police—I give thanks that help is on its way to those who need it.
Since the memorial appeared, the stuffed toys and flowers
have disappeared, occasionally replaced by other votive objects. But I see the
bicycle several times a week, and I’m so sorry for that family’s loss.
No comments:
Post a Comment