Ridgeland man killed in crash remembered for ‘big heart,’ longtime service at fish market

Daniel “Danny” Cardenas-Andrade met his soulmate in 2015, when the longtime employee at Sea Eagle Market asked his new coworker for her name. “Donna,” she answered.

“Oh, like the song,” he replied, breaking into his own rendition of “Donna,” the 1958 track by Chicano rock legend Ritchie Valens.

That’s what started it all, said Donna Cardenas. “Anytime he walked by me, he would start singing the song.”

The couple was married four months later in December 2015. They had both been married before and both had kids of their own. In this case, “the chemistry was there” and immediately noticeable, Donna recalled, prompting their willingness to quickly tie the knot.

Donna’s husband was killed in a single-car accident last week, when Cardenas-Andrade’s sedan veered off the road and struck a tree outside Yemassee in the early morning hours of Feb. 27. He was 52 years old.

“That was my heart and soul,” Donna said in an interview Friday afternoon. “It took us a long time to find each other, but that was my soulmate.”

Cardenas-Andrade lived in the Ridgeland area and worked for 16 years at the Sea Eagle Market, a beloved family business on Beaufort’s Boundary Street. He’ll be remembered among staff, family and friends for his unyielding positive presence and servant’s heart.

Craig Reaves, co-owner of the Sea Eagle, said Cardenas-Andrade joined the staff only a few months after Reaves and his wife bought the company in October 2007. Cardenas-Andrade helped manage the cut room and back-of-house operations, brightening the business with his lighthearted energy and “contagious smile,” Reaves said.

“He just had a big heart,” Reaves added. “Danny loved the Lord and was strong in his faith. He encouraged me to be a better man.”

Reaves said some of his most treasured memories with Cardenas-Andrade were the rare occasions when they went to Hilton Head’s Broad Creek together for clamming and fishing excursions. The man was a “beast in the river,” Reaves said, and was always eager to expand his knowledge.

The Sea Eagle co-owner grew up in the shrimping business, raised by a father who was well-known across the coastal industry. Even still, he and Cardenas-Andrade “grew and learned together,” he said, both in the river and behind the counter.

“He was part of our family,” Reaves said. “He really was like a brother.”

Friends, family and coworkers of Cardenas-Andrade gathered Saturday afternoon for a bilingual memorial service at Port Royal’s Praise Assembly church. The celebration of life ended with “La Bamba,” the late Ritchie Valens’ most well-known recording.

Donna, Cardenas-Andrade’s wife, said family members will likely scatter a portion of the man’s ashes near his birthplace in Mexico. They’ve also discussed erecting a headstone alongside the plot where his father is buried.

More than anything, Donna said she’ll remember her husband for his kind heart and dedication to service.

“He wore his heart on his sleeve,” she said. “If he felt that somebody was in need, he was right there to do whatever was needed.”

She also extended her gratitude for the mountains of love that came from communities near and far after last week’s tragedy.

“I appreciate all the support,” she said. “I really, truly do. The outreach of people that’s texted and called and left messages — it’s overwhelming, but it’s awesome. I thank everybody for the love and support they’ve given us.”