Hollister native Rosa Miramon Azevedo, a nurse and mother of four boys who was known for her caring spirit, has been identified as the motorist who died in a Jan. 14 traffic collision on Highway 156. She was 37 years old.
Azevedo’s family recently established an online fundraising campaign “to help send Rosa home peacefully,” reads the campaign on GoFundMe. The page has raised a total of $5,755 toward a goal of $15,000 as of Jan. 24.
Azevedo’s sister, Vanessa Huerta Casas, said the funds will pay for Rosa’s funeral services.
“Her whole life, she’s been invested in her work, education and taking care of families,” Casas told this newspaper.
After attending San Benito High School and San Andreas High, Rosa went to Unitek College for her nursing degree. She had long-term plans to continue her education so she could eventually become a doctor, according to Casas.
Most recently, Miramon Azevedo worked as a nurse in Salinas. Her cousin, Dianne Jacques, noted that Rosa “spent the last years of her life working at multiple Covid care and Covid vaccination clinics from San Jose to Salinas.”
Casas added that family was one of the most important aspects of Rosa’s life—which is likely what made her so devoted to and skilled at her medical care profession. In recent years, her work also focused on elderly care.
Rosa’s four sons range in age from 5-17, Casas said. A local native who was born and raised in Hollister, Rosa is also survived by her husband, Joseph Azevedo, mother Juana Miramon, father Alfredo Casas, grandmother Estela Cisneros, as well as her brother, three sisters, six nieces and seven nephews, according to the GoFundMe page.
“What I remember the most about her is being very caring, and always putting others before herself,” Casas said. “She was very strong willed, determined and caring.”
Rosa was the driver and only occupant of a Honda Civic when she was involved in a collision just before 7am Jan. 14, according to the California Highway Patrol. She was traveling on Highway 156, just west of Monterey Street near San Juan Bautista, when her vehicle veered into a nearby lane in wet road conditions.
Her vehicle hit a guardrail, then veered into another lane into the path of another Honda, authorities said. The second vehicle rear-ended Rosa’s car. Rosa was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after paramedics arrived.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation, according to the family and CHP.
Casas said it is unlikely that Rosa was speeding or driving unsafely at the time, as the nurse was always “very cautious” on the road.
“Rosa was a beautiful soul, dedicated with a caring heart. Everyone felt her unconditional love,” reads the GoFundMe page. “Her love for her family exceeded all boundaries, and in her absence, continues to grow. We were blessed to know her. She touched our hearts and empowered our minds. We thank the Lord for the time we were allowed with this angel. She will forever be embedded in our hearts and the light that surrounds us.”
Casas added, “She gave a lot back to the community, and to surrounding communities.”
The GoFundMe page further adds, “Please find it in your hearts to help this beautiful soul rest peacefully so her family can focus on healing. Anything helps and is extremely appreciated. Rosa’s family is already appreciative of the thoughts, prayers and comfort that have already been received by our community of friends and family and thanks everyone for their condolences.”
The family is in the process of planning funeral services, for which a date has not yet been determined.
How to help
The GoFundMe fundraising page established by Rosa Miramon Azevedo’s family can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-costs-for-a-rosa.
Slow down!
My sister fell asleep on the road and the vehicle that struck her broke her neck… so yes, people need to slow down!