Hollister
– While many Hollister residents were busy preparing for Super
Bowl parties, two local families got together over the weekend in
loving memory of a 4-year-old girl they call
”
Little Jazzy.
”
Hollister – While many Hollister residents were busy preparing for Super Bowl parties, two local families got together over the weekend in loving memory of a 4-year-old girl they call “Little Jazzy.”
Jasmine Arroyo died Jan. 29 after a crash on Highway 1 near Santa Cruz that also seriously injured seven other people. The girl’s mother, Antoinette Soliz, 25, of Hollister, is charged with drunken driving and is being held at the Santa Cruz County Jail on $1.75 million bail, awaiting trial on 13 felony charges, including vehicular manslaughter.
On Saturday and Sunday, members of the Arroyo and Mendez families gathered to wash cars as a way to raise money to help pay for Jasmine’s funeral and for medical expenses of her brothers, 10-year-old Andrew and 8-year-old Matthew, who were both seriously injured in the crash.
On Saturday, the Arroyos and their cousins the Mendezes were outside Gold’s Gym on Nash Road. On Sunday, they were outside Hollister Tire on McCray Street. Along with sponges and buckets of soapy water, the families were armed with bright yellow signs that read “The Arroyo children need your help” and displayed a picture of Jasmine and her siblings.
According to the children’s uncle, Sabino Arroyo, 10-year-old Andrew remains at Stanford Medical Center. He is in serious condition with severe lacerations to his liver, a fractured neck and fluid in his lungs. The family has been told that the boy is likely to remain hospitalized for another two months.
Eight-year-old Matthew, who suffered a lacerated liver and fractured shoulder, had been released from Stanford Medical Center, according to his uncle. Sabino Arroyo said Matthew is with his father, Osvaldo Arroyo, and 7-year-old sister, Evelyn.
“Everybody’s doing good,” Sabino Arroyo said. “Both of my nephews are responsive. They already want to go out and play again.”
He said the Arroyo brothers are active and enjoy fishing with their father, an activity he hopes they can soon enjoy again.
Sabino Arroyo remembered the squinting, smiling face of Jasmine, the youngest Arroyo child.
“You call and she opens her arms,” Arroyo said. “She’s a really friendly girl.”
Jose Mendez remembered Jasmine as a happy, positive girl. He said whenever he would visit the Arroyo children, Jasmine would sing the lyrics and dance to her favorite song, “Beautiful,” by Pharrell.
“Jasmine’s a shy little girl,” Mendez said. “Very nice and lovely.”
He said the family was saddened by the accident, but is doing better emotionally.
“We’re doing all right,” Mendez said. “The family is being very supportive of each other. There’s a lot of families involved.”
Although Mendez said he was not sure how much the car washes raised, he said they have been successful.
Hollister resident Danny Curayag stopped by Sunday afternoon to get his sport utility vehicle washed and make a donation. Curayag said the tragedy struck close to home.
“I’ve got children myself,” Curayag said. “It was upsetting. It made me think twice about the way I look at life.”
Curayag said he has three daughters, a 7-year-old, 5-year-old and 1-year-old, and a 2-year-old son.
Curayag said he was happy to see people come out to support the Arroyo family. He and his wife handed Mendez a check for $100 check along with $29 in cash.
“Me and my wife feel pretty good,” Curayag said. “The donation is going to a good cause.”
“We want to thank the Hollister community for coming by,” Mendez said. “We appreciate the support.”
Visitation for Jasmine Arroyo will take place from 5 to 9pm Friday with rosary at 7pm at Black Cooper Funeral Home on Seventh Street in Hollister. Funeral Mass will be at 10am Saturday at Sacred Heart Church on College Street.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or
mv*********@fr***********.com
.
