On January 2nd the North Port Police Department responded to a single car crash near Yorkshire and Cassava Rd. around 2:30am, that left a 17-year-old dead and 3 others injured.
It was discovered that the car involved in the crash belonged to a family in Port Charlotte.
A family friend and spokesperson says this is the second time a vehicle has been stolen from this growing family.
“The family has definitely been having some hardships the last month with having lost two vehicles, so it definitely puts a strain on transportation for work and for being able to take their children to school so they’ve definitely been having some hardships the last month,” said Marissa Gonzalez.
Adding they understand tragedies happen.
“Having dedicated their lives for so many years, having worked in social services to working with at risk youth, and things of that nature, they understand things like this can happen and sometimes tragedies do also come with that,” said Gonzalez.
And right now they are just trying to pick up the pieces.
“You can always replace the materialistic things, but sometimes when you have something that helps with your day to day livelihood taken from you that causes people to just take a step back try to re-reflect and try to figure out how they can move forward from the difficult situation”, said Gonzalez.
Saying they are shocked and still in disbelief of their loss but the loss of a young life.
“There two different types of victims and not to take away from anything that has occurred, the life that’s been taken obviously, condolences and sympathies go out to that family but there is another family that is hurting due to that incident,” said Gonzalez.
At this time loved ones have started a Go Fund Me to try and help this young family regroup and make sense of this tragedy.
