‘All México is in mourning.’ 7 Mexican farmworkers killed in crash eulogized at funeral mass

Alfredo Morales Sánchez “had many big dreams that died” in a Feb. 23 crash that claimed eight lives, including the 30-year-old native of the Mexican state of Guerrero and six of his companions.

Another victim, Víctor Cirilo Hernández was remembered Saturday as a diligent employee who cared about the quality of his work. Years ago when he first began field work, a supervisor asked him what he was doing with the tomatoes. He replied that he was cleaning them with his sweatshirt because “they had dirt and fertilizers” on them, recalled his older cousin.

Juvenal Jacobo Talavera, 24, “never got caught up with the wrong crowd,” said his brother.

Details of the men who died when a pickup truck crashed head-on onto the van with eight farmworkers heading west on Avenue 7 near Road 22 in Madera County emerged at a Saturday morning funeral mass at Kerman High School. The driver of the pickup truck, 78-year-old Robert Jerry Kovar, also died at the scene. CHP is investigating the crash.

The Saturday memorial mass was held at Kerman High because no church in the city was large enough to accommodate the seven steel caskets and attendees.

More than 600 family members, friends and community members filled the school’s multi-purpose room for the mass officiated by Diocese of Fresno Bishop Emeritus Armando Ochoa. The mass and other portions of the 4-hour event were conducted in Spanish.

The seven farm laborers lived in Kerman and were headed to Lyons Farms near Firebaugh to plant crops before the 6 a.m. accident happened.

The bodies of Jacobo Talavera (Michoacán), Héctor Manuel Orozco Ordóñez (Jalisco), and Roberto Flores Bañuelos (Sinaloa) are scheduled to be flown to their home states on Sunday.

“Today, all México is in mourning,” said Nuria Zúñiga, consul in charge at the Mexican Consulate in Fresno. “Our Mexican community is in mourning.”

Zúñiga, whose office was tasked with verifying the victims’ names and transporting their bodies to México, said as she looked at the paperwork and the names of the dead, “I see a person, a story, an unfinished story.”

Saturday was an opportunity for the public to get to know more about the victims.

Relatives, friends shared their remembrances

Morales Sánchez moved to Kerman three years ago to be closer to his family, including a brother. He was the youngest of five children born to Tomás Morales and Adela Sánchez.

He is survived by his father, and siblings. Relatives said he planned to work until he had enough to build his dream home in his home state of Guerrero.

“My husband couldn’t be here today because, obviously, he’s distraught over what happened,” said his sister-in-law. “He was a great uncle to my kids. We will always remember him.”

Cirilo Hernández, 30, was born in Guerrero and came to the U.S. as a teenager to help his parents in México. He is survived by his father, Abel Cirilo; mother, Abel Hernández; and, brother Nasareo.

“He was a hard worker. He was of good character, and well-disciplined because my aunt taught him that,” said his cousin Marcos.

Jacobo Talavera, the youngest of the victims, was the youngest of five brothers. He is survived by both parents, his brothers, his girlfriend, Yanira Talavera, and Miguel, his 1-year-old baby.

Friends recalled him as always singing and listening to music turned up loud.

Pedro Hernández Ojeda, 35, was born in Guerrero to Crescencio Hernández and Reyna Ojeda. His aunt Adulfa remembers waking up at 5 a.m. to make lunch for him and his cousin, Fidel Filomeno Ojeda.

Camilo Ojeda said his nephews, who were born in Guerrero, were hard workers. Filomeno Ojeda, 34, was one of the victims.

Flores Bañuelos, 57, was born in Baja California. He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a granddaughter. He will be buried in Jalisco.

Friends recall him always buying toys and clothes to send back to his granddaughter.

Orozco Ordóñez, who was born in Jalisco, had lived in Kerman for almost 15 years. He is survived by his wife, Sonia González, and daughter, Yesenia.

Kerman community responded

Among those who spoke was Linda Martínez of the United Farm Workers Foundation.

“On behalf of the farmworker movement that is responsible for improving the lives of our farmworkers every day, our condolences,” said Martínez. “We know that words are not enough right now, but our hearts and support are present at this very difficult time for our community.”

Kerman City Councilmember Ismael Herrera said the tragedy has united the community.

A video of photos showed the deceased during various points of their lives. There were family gatherings, a boy eating a watermelon that had been smashed on the ground, a worker tying grape vines, and a letter written to one of the victims.

A portion read, “that a half of your heart joins with mine and after the last beat our souls join together there where living is indefinite.”