SLO County community comes together to support family of teen killed in crash
The North Coast came together this week to support the family of local high school student, 16-year-old Eric Aguilar, who was killed in a late-night car crash off Highway 1 in Cambria on Sept. 14.
“It’s such a small town, you know, it hits so hard,” said Jesse Walker, the associate pastor and youth group leader at Cambria Vineyard Church. Walker is also the football coach at Coast Union High School, where Eric attended.
Late on the evening of Sept. 14, Eric sustained fatal injuries when he drove off Highway 1 north of Burton Drive in Cambria in his father’s truck, according to a release from the California Highway Patrol.
His family located the crash and arrived on the scene before emergency responders early the next morning, the release said.
“It’s been pretty tough for the community, especially at the high school,” Walker said. “I went there the first day, and there’s a lot of people that weren’t at school.”
The San Simeon teen played soccer and had aspirations of going pro, he said.
Walker said he coaches some of Eric’s best friends and has seen them come together during this time of need.
“They kind of gathered together and became closer as a family,” he said. “But it definitely hurts. It’s definitely hard for a lot of the kids ... They’re grieving in different ways, and it looks different for everyone, but they’ve been really supportive as a community.”
Walker and Adam Babcock, the lead pastor at Cambria Vineyard Church and the cross country coach at Coast Union, have made themselves available as resources to the school, connecting with students during after-school sports and lunch periods.
“We’re just trying to be as available as we can to talk with with people, whatever age they are, to process this,” Babcock said.
Both Babcock and Walker praised the school district’s response, noting that teachers have provided students with the space to grieve and process emotions, as well as having a moment of silence throughout the school day.
The high school also brought grief counselors to campus to aid in the wake of the tragedy.
“We will get through this together,” Babcock said. “As a community, we will.”
Cambria community fundraising for grieving family
Since Sept. 14, North Coast communities have come together to find ways to support the Aguilar family.
A small memorial popped up at the site of the crash alongside Highway 1, with grieving friends leaving flowers, soccer balls and even Hot Wheels toys in Eric’s memory.
Several fundraisers were also quickly organized to help raise money for the family, according to Facebook posts.
Those include an enchilada fundraiser scheduled for Sunday.
Enchilada plates will be available for $15 for pick up at 9490 Avonne Ave. in San Simeon from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. or for delivery to the San Simeon, Cambria and Moonstone Beach areas.
The poster circulated online on the Cambria Currents Facebook group.
“We are coming together to support Eric’s family by organizing a fundraiser to help cover expenses,” one post by Gabby Nuñez said. “Any contribution will be deeply appreciated. All funds will go to the Aguilar Miranda family.”
Other commenters noted people can donate directly to the family by making a deposit directly into the Aguilar family’s account at the Pacific Premier Bank with checks made payable to Salvador Aguilar or Flor Miranda.
Sheila Youngs, who identified herself as a family friend, also shared on Facebook that she is accepting personal checks made out to Salvador Aguilar on the family’s behalf.
“Salvador has been like a brother to me for 30 years,” she said on Facebook. “Any amount will help them.”
Youngs wrote that donations can be dropped off at the Fringe Hair Studio at 1235 Knoll Wood Circle, suite 204, in Cambria between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.
