Vigil held for teen siblings killed in Rancho Cucamonga crash
The community of Rancho Cucamonga is still in shock after teenage siblings were killed in a car crash last week.
Elias Cruz, 17, and his sister, Sara Cruz, 14, died on the way home from practice after Elias, who was driving, lost control of the vehicle. The car crashed into a utility pole and then hit a tree near Wilson and Haven Avenues.
Elias and Sara’s father was devastated but still had the courage to speak publically a day after the tragic accident.
The siblings were both into sports. Elias was a junior and played for the Los Osos baseball team. Sara was a freshman who played volleyball and softball at the school.
A vigil was held for the pair at Village Park in Fontana on Monday, with teammates, family, friends, and coaches gathering to remember Elias and Sarah.
“Every time I saw him I always got a hug,” said a teammate of Elias. “I just wish that I could give him one last hug.”
Sara’s friends and teammates have fond memories of the deceased 14-year-old.
“She could always put a smile on your face,” Sara’s friend said at the vigil. “You’d go in from a bad day at school and she brought so much joy in my life.”
A photo of Elias Cruz, 17, and his sister Sara, 14, who passed away in a car crash. A vigil was held for the siblings on March 11, 2024. (KTLA) Friends and teammates of 17-year-old speak at a vigil for the teen on March 11, 2024. (KTLA) Elias Cruz, 17, and Sarah Cruz, 14, seen in family photos. Friends and teammates of Sara Cruz speak at vigil for the 14-year-old who was killed in a car crash. The vigil was held on March 11, 2024. (KTLA) Elias and Sara Cruz were both athletes who were adored by friends and teammates. A vigil was held for the siblings on March 11, 2024. (KTLA) Sarah Cruz, 14, seen in a family photo. Vigil held on March 9, 2024 to honor Sarah and Elias Cruz, siblings who were killed in a Rancho Cucamonga crash. (KTLA) Investigators at the scene of a fatal single-vehicle accident in Rancho Cucamonga that left two teens dead on March 8, 2024. (KTLA) Investigators at the scene of a fatal single-vehicle accident in Rancho Cucamonga that left two teens dead on March 8, 2024. (KTLA) Vigil held on March 9, 2024 to honor Sarah and Elias Cruz, siblings who were killed in a Rancho Cucamonga crash. (KTLA) Rey Cruz, the father of two Rancho Cucamonga teens killed in a car crash on Friday, speaks to the massive crowd at a vigil on Saturday, March 9, 2024. (KTLA) Vigil held on March 9, 2024 to honor Sarah and Elias Cruz, siblings who were killed in a Rancho Cucamonga crash. (KTLA) Vigil held on March 9, 2024 to honor Sarah and Elias Cruz, siblings who were killed in a Rancho Cucamonga crash. (KTLA) Vigil held on March 9, 2024 to honor Sarah and Elias Cruz, siblings who were killed in a Rancho Cucamonga crash. (KTLA) Investigators at the scene of a fatal single-vehicle accident in Rancho Cucamonga that left two teens dead on March 8, 2024. (KTLA) Investigators at the scene of a fatal single-vehicle accident in Rancho Cucamonga that left two teens dead on March 8, 2024. (KTLA) Vigil held on March 9, 2024 to honor Sarah and Elias Cruz, siblings who were killed in a Rancho Cucamonga crash. (KTLA)
There were candles, tears, and tributes for the siblings, where loved ones shared stories about Elias and Sara.
The Cruz family says they’re moved by the support they have received from the community, and by how much Elias and Sara impacted the lives of others.
“It wasn’t in vain, they made a difference in peoples lives,” Elias and Sara’s father Rey Cruz said to KTLA 5’s Omar Lewis. “I like to make a difference, and I’m glad I passed it off to my kids.”
A GoFundMe page was created to help the Cruz family with funeral costs.
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