Saldanas

The flowers were what we saw from the road. A showy display by every measure, with expensive and fresh flowers among beer, water, and Jarritos bottles. But it was what was beyond the flowers that broke my heart.

Five crosses, including three with the same last name. Five crosses that ended up memorializing three adults, a fifteen year old, and a one year old who lost their lives when their SUV slid across deadly highway 97 into an oncoming semi.

Amazingly, an eleven year old lived, and as of January 2024 her condition had been improving.

Five identical crosses save for the name and dates of birth, all beautifully rendered and placed in the high desert South of Bend, Oregon.

A testament to the community they were from, hundreds of people gathered to pay tribute to the family and help raise funds for their funeral expenses. When I looked, the GoFundMe had raised over $100,000 to help surviving family and little girl who has lost so much.

Road conditions were a factor, as were a lack of seatbelts, although the police report makes it sound like the family’s SUV slammed straight into the semi; honestly, it’s amazing the little girl survived.

The accident happened just over a year before I took these photos so I am not surprised to see such a fresh display of love; cold beers, fresh flowers, and footprints in the snow showed that this family is missed and far from forgotten.

Descanse en pax, familia Saldana.