We Need More Families Like The Morales’

We need more families like the Morales’. Let me tell you why.

Eric Morales, a 16-year-old student, was riding his bike to summer school when he was hit by a truck, leaving him in a coma for a month. Miraculously, he survived and is improving with physical and occupational therapy, but Eric's family still has a long road ahead; Eric has a traumatic brain injury and a permanent titanium rod in his right lower leg.

Within five days, thanks to witnesses of the crash, the truck driver was tracked down. He was soon released on bail, and the long process of hearings and appearances began, with the driver’s attorney postponing the dates with every resource available to him.

From emergency rooms to courtrooms and everyday life, Eric's family, like many others, found the aftermath of the collision uncharted territory. Eric’s father, Sergio Morales, noticed two things: First, he saw many families going through the consequences of a traffic collision, both at the ER and on the news. Then, he saw the lack of guidance on how to deal with it.

At this moment, Sergio learned about Streets Are For Everyone and called us, looking for guidance.

From our first conversation at SAFE Support, a service designed to help families like the Morales, we have done our best to guide them through the process and help them consider their options both in the courtrooms and with assistance programs available in the county to make their day-to-day easier, while offering an ear where they can share the emotional toll.

With Eric recovering his health and the trial finally advancing, the Morales have helped us connect with the social worker at the hospital where they were taken care of, hoping to make this service available for more families. That’s why we need more families like them: people who want to prevent others from going through difficult times alone.

We are here for every mother, sister, partner, and father waiting at an ER. We are here for every family trying to regain control of their lives at a home where someone is missing, but we need your assistance reaching out to them. Sign up as a volunteer to help us help Fathers like Sergio, sisters like Darlene,  wives like Jennifer, and anyone else who needs that support.