29-year-old Brandon Mendoza died in a Wednesday night car crash and his friends are raising money to help the family.
SAN ANTONIO — 29-year-old Brandon Mendoza was a young dad who loved his family, fishing and his Chevy Tahoe, and now his friends are coping with his loss by trying to help his family recover.
Mendoza died when he crashed into a tree on the far west side Wednesday night at the corner of Meadow Way and Meadow Glen near Marbach Road and Loop 410.
The preliminary crash report from SAPD says they are not sure what caused Mendoza to lose control, but two days later, candles are still burning and the wreckage of a privacy fence is still scattered across the yard.
Mendoza’s young son Lazarus, who is bereft, said “He was a good man. He used to make crazy foods and they would be good. But now he’s in heaven.”
His baby daughter Brielle, who is deaf, may be too young to remember her dad but his widow, Alani Sanchez, who also has medical disabilities, said he will be remembered as a loving provider.
Sanchez, who says she doesn’t drive because of a seizure disorder, was well loved and taken care of by the man she started dating as a teen.
“I didn’t have to work. He took care of everything,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez said her husband loved his Chevy Tahoe so much it’s his Facebook profile picture. She said he made his living detailing cars, so the vehicle was always maintained with pride.
“He liked to detail cars, so, so you can imagine with that truck it was always clean,” Sanchez said, adding “Him and his best friend, they have matching Tahoes, but the best friend’s is green, so they grew up with big loud trucks.”
Sanchez called her husband a devoted dad who enjoyed spending time with both kids.
Lazarus agrees, saying some of his favorite memories involve fishing with his dad.
Sanchez said Mendoza was a private man, so she has been surprised by the amount of community support and love she is seeing in person and on social media.
She said friends organized a benefit and started arranging details almost immediately.
“Everything’s taken care of and this is from friends and family and people he just met they’re really doing a lot,” Sanchez said.
The plate sale is Saturday, starting at 2pm until they sell out.
The sale will take place at 2723 Morales on the west side.
At KENS 5 dot com you can find that flyer and a link to the Go Fund Me Account for the family in case you have it in your heart to help the kids who’ve lost their dad.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-the-family-of-a-young-father-husband-and-son?attribution_id=sl:508d8e64-2ae9-44b6-bf0b-9c3858d22a5c&lang=en_US&utm_campaign=man_ss_icons&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link
The Medical Examiner’s office said funeral arrangements will be handled by Puente & Sons Funeral Chapels.