‘The most loving’: Family remembers couple killed in Fresno County crash
CARUTHERS, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A memorial service was held Wednesday at the church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints in Caruthers for Paul and Mary Hardin, two missionaries from Texas who officers say were killed by a drunk driver Saturday.
The couple had just moved to the Central Valley at the beginning of the year and were excited about their journey, but that was taken from them on Saturday.
Family wants 6-time DUI offender, suspect in deadly crash ‘in prison for the rest of his life’
Close to a hundred people filled the church Wednesday to remember the lives of the couple.
Mary’s sister Amy Lott says their entire family dropped everything and flew out after hearing the news.
“They were the most loving and tight nit family and this is really really difficult,” said Lott,
The couple leaves behind a large family including their 11 children and their 23 grandchildren.
Their son Enoch Hardin says he was the first one who got the call about his parents’ passing and had to break the news to his siblings.
“It was tough because of how close we are, because of the type of love we do share, it was more a weight on my shoulders to share that pain and to go onto the other emotions,” said Enoch Hardin.
The memorial comes just hours after the couple’s accused killer David Alvarado made his first court appearance.
Alvarado has been convicted of driving under the influence six times over the last 30 years.
With the Hardin family living out of state, the judge allowed them to make statements to the court during Wednesday’s arraignment hearing.
Each of them describes how their family has been ripped apart.
“As long as the defendant has a mouth to drink and hands and feet to drive he must be kept somewhere away from alcohol and vehicles for the rest of his natural life,” said Anon Striker with the Hardin Family.
The Hardin children say they will continue to mourn their parents for the rest of their lives.
Meanwhile, Alvarado’s next court appearance will be in June.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
