Correction: Trevor Anthony Macias was hit by a car while waiting in his car for roadside assistance.
Vigil in Loftin was for student struck by a car Feb. 13.
By Tim Hernandez
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Friends, students, faculty and family gathered in Loftin Tuesday evening for a candlelight vigil in memory of architecture sophomore Trevor Anthony Macias who was killed by an allegedly drunken driver.
Macias’ parents; brother Jonathan, political science sophomore, 21; and sister Angeline, Palo Alto Early College, 15, were in attendance.
Only Macias’ brother Jared, McCollum High School junior, 16, was not in attendance because he needed a break to grieve, Macias’ mother said.
Macias, a 2010 graduate of McCollum High School, was born July 10, 1991, to Elizabeth and Anthony Macias in Torrance, California.
Macias was laid to rest Monday at Mission Burial Park South.
Macias was struck by an allegedly drunken driver Feb. 13 while he was changing a tire on the shoulder of Highway 90 and died of his injuries Feb. 14. at University Hospital.
Macias will continue to live in others because his organs were harvested for transplant.
Angeline Macias received a liver transplant at the age of 18 months and because of this Macias was a registered organ donor, Elizabeth Macias said.
Human services sophomore Christopher Lopez and forensic science graduate Danielle Sanchez spoke about the dangers of drunken driving and the potential consequences of those actions.
At the end of the vigil, candles were blown out and the 22 attendees stayed for a bit longer to talk about their friend, former coworker and family member.
Macias’ mother said, “I was proud of him. He actually lived his life well. Good friend, humble, hard worker, ambitious, dreaming and a caring soul for all his friends. His family extended and all the lessons that we taught him growing up he actually encompassed. As a parent you don’t always see that. Did they listen? Did they not listen? He actually listened. He heard. I’m very proud to have been called his mom.”
Elizabeth Macias said she had him when she was 21. When he was about 3 or 4, she decided to go back to school. “He saw me go back to school so he knew that education was very important.”
She said he discovered his talent this year. “He was looking at a Harvard master program, finishing up here, then transfer to U of H, but he was already planning because Harvard was where he wanted to be.”
Anthony Macias also spoke of his son, “Like all parents we don’t tell our kids enough that we love them and that we need them in our lives. … I wanted to thank him for allowing me to be a parent. Showing me how to be a parent.
He described his son as vocal and outgoing. “When I wasn’t holding up my end as a parent he would let me know that he would like me to do something and suggest things that I do. I would do them and I was the hero.”
Fellow students talked about the kind of person Macias had been.
Architecture sophomore Jahniel Miller said, “I will miss Trevor’s vibrant attitude, his smiling face and his positive outlook on life.”
Benjamin Locher, architecture sophomore, said, “One thing I will miss about Trevor is his lunch time sassiness.”
Rebeca Perez, also an architecture sophomore, said, “He was always a caring person. He cared a lot about his friends and he’ll be missed.”
The staff of student life, past and present, spoke of Macias good nature as well.
“Trevor was a very unique and special person,” said Mary Schlabig, student life administrative services specialist.
“From the minute I interviewed him, we just hit it off very well,” she said. “He was a nice, well-mannered young man. Very outgoing, always cheerful and making people laugh. He made our office more enjoyable. We always have fun in that office, but he made it more fun.
“We were just saddened by the news that he was taken. You make friends here and you make them for life.”
Jacob-Aidan Martinez, director of student conduct and Title IX, formerly a student life coordinator, said, “After I got promoted, he would check up on me to see how the new job was going or how I was doing. He meant a lot to me. I wanted to come here and pay tribute to him with his fellow classmates and my former coworkers.”
1 Comment
Please note my son was not changing a tire. Kens 5 got it wrong. My son was in his car waiting for roadside assitance. His injuries was all to his head while he was in his car. So get it right!!