A California grandmother was killed when a suicidal man jumped off a highway overpass, crashing into the front windshield of her car as she and her husband were on their way to a weekend getaway.
Margarita Novela Galindo sat in the passenger seat next to her husband, Florencio, as the couple drove on the 210 Freeway near Sylmar, Calif. at around 7 p.m. on Aug. 9, according to KABC.
Around the same time, the Los Angeles Fire Department received reports of a man threatening to end his life by jumping off the Roxford Street overpass.
The man crashed through Galindo’s windshield and landed on top of the mother of three, according to her family.
Florencio was not seriously injured.
Galindo was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition where she spent her last weeks in the ICU before succumbing to her injuries.
“She fought bravely for nearly three weeks, but on August 28th, the doctors told us that she wouldn’t recover,” David Galindo said on GoFundMe. “Tragically, my mom passed away, leaving behind me, my brother, my sister, and her seven grandchildren.”
The grieving son says his father is “now alone without the love of his life.”
“It’s incredibly unfair that her life was taken because someone else didn’t want theirs,” the crowdfunding post said. “My mom was a loving and caring person, and our family is heartbroken and struggling to cope with this unimaginable loss.”
The heartbroken family questioned the “what ifs” on how their mother could have survived the tragic accident.
“What if she stopped to get gas? What if she stopped to get water? This probably wouldn’t have happened,” said David.
“It could’ve just been two seconds off, two inches away, my mom would’ve been fine,” Margarita’s daughter Stephanie Galindo added.
“I’m just sad and a little angry that was her destiny, her end,” Stephanie told KTLA.
“She goes out for a trip and then she just never comes back,” she added. “And that’s my anger. That we never said ‘Bye.’”
The adult children, who always looked for their mother to help with their kids, are now tasked with helping their father.
While Florencio is heartbroken over his wife’s death, he has no negative feelings for the man who jumped.
“He doesn’t know what problems he may have had to commit suicide, but he doesn’t have any resentment,” Stephanie Galindo told the outlet, translating what her father said in Spanish.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.