Despite my devestating saddness, I could not help but write this thread.
Further to my thread of Saturday night, I now have more information about the accident that killed my husband's aunt.
On Saturday night, Josefina and her daughter Eliani were returning from church and were waiting on the side of the road in Gran Para for a publico or guagua back to Montellano. A drunk Canadian in a small truck or SUV struck them both when he missed the curve, plowing them both down. Josefina (33 years old), who pushed Eliani out of the way, was killed instantly. Eliani has various injuries, including a broken leg, but she survived... with a broken heart. Eliani has two brothers, her twin and the other is 1 1/2 years younger. These children are now motherless and their father, a local pastor, is now a widow.
This was a picture perfect Dominican family. They are very religious and Josefina and her husband attended church almost daily. The ironic thing is that they don't drink due to their religious beliefs and alcohol is the reason Josfina was killed. She was my best friend and like a sister to me. She planned and organized the wedding of my husband and I and has always been there for both of us. She also helped raise my husband as his mother has lived in Spain for most of his life. This family has hearts of gold. Despite the fact that this family does not have a lot, I remember many a time while living there and while staying with them on vacation when Josefina would make a plate of food for someone passing by that was even less fornate than them. This woman taught me to cook Dominican food for my husband here in Canada and she, along with my husband and the rest of their family, taught me how to speak Spanish, the value of family, love and the fact that you don't need a ton of money to be the happiest people in the world.
You hear on this board all the stories about Dominicans drinking, driving, etc. but this time it was a Canadian who apparently lives in or around Puerto Plata or Sosua and has a business and he has killed this precious woman. I hope he can't pay his way out of this. This family is devestated.
My husband and I spent hours at the airport Sunday and were unable to get a flight as at this time of year there are few flights and they were all booked solid. Our only option on Sunday was for him to fly to Punta Cana and take a taxi from there. We waited standby but unfortunately for him, everyone showed up for the flights that were already sold out.
Until this weekend, I never realized how important a visitor's visa to the U.S. is for Dominicans living in Canada. If only we had done the paperwork earlier for him to have this invaluable document and he would have been able to get to Puerto Plata within hours of the accident via Miami or New York. But we never imagined such a tragedy and since we travel often to the DR with a wide variety of charter flights, I never knew this would ever be a problem. The next available flight with space is not until this Friday and he will be heading down to be with the rest of his family but he has already missed the funeral.
My husband said this afternoon that the most ironic thing is that drinking and driving laws are so strict here in Canada and yet it was a Canadian that killed Josefina. I hope people read this and realize that just because the drinking laws are relaxed in the DR and you can essentially drink and drive legally, there are devestating consequences and I hope all reading this remember that next time they drink in the DR and want to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. My trips to the DR will never be the same. We actually had already purchased tickets to spend Chirstmas and New Years in Montellano this year and for that reason we did not have the money for both my husband and I to both go on Friday. I am counting the days until December when I can hug each one of Josefina's children and help them get through this.
Josefina.... forever in my heart.
Further to my thread of Saturday night, I now have more information about the accident that killed my husband's aunt.
On Saturday night, Josefina and her daughter Eliani were returning from church and were waiting on the side of the road in Gran Para for a publico or guagua back to Montellano. A drunk Canadian in a small truck or SUV struck them both when he missed the curve, plowing them both down. Josefina (33 years old), who pushed Eliani out of the way, was killed instantly. Eliani has various injuries, including a broken leg, but she survived... with a broken heart. Eliani has two brothers, her twin and the other is 1 1/2 years younger. These children are now motherless and their father, a local pastor, is now a widow.
This was a picture perfect Dominican family. They are very religious and Josefina and her husband attended church almost daily. The ironic thing is that they don't drink due to their religious beliefs and alcohol is the reason Josfina was killed. She was my best friend and like a sister to me. She planned and organized the wedding of my husband and I and has always been there for both of us. She also helped raise my husband as his mother has lived in Spain for most of his life. This family has hearts of gold. Despite the fact that this family does not have a lot, I remember many a time while living there and while staying with them on vacation when Josefina would make a plate of food for someone passing by that was even less fornate than them. This woman taught me to cook Dominican food for my husband here in Canada and she, along with my husband and the rest of their family, taught me how to speak Spanish, the value of family, love and the fact that you don't need a ton of money to be the happiest people in the world.
You hear on this board all the stories about Dominicans drinking, driving, etc. but this time it was a Canadian who apparently lives in or around Puerto Plata or Sosua and has a business and he has killed this precious woman. I hope he can't pay his way out of this. This family is devestated.
My husband and I spent hours at the airport Sunday and were unable to get a flight as at this time of year there are few flights and they were all booked solid. Our only option on Sunday was for him to fly to Punta Cana and take a taxi from there. We waited standby but unfortunately for him, everyone showed up for the flights that were already sold out.
Until this weekend, I never realized how important a visitor's visa to the U.S. is for Dominicans living in Canada. If only we had done the paperwork earlier for him to have this invaluable document and he would have been able to get to Puerto Plata within hours of the accident via Miami or New York. But we never imagined such a tragedy and since we travel often to the DR with a wide variety of charter flights, I never knew this would ever be a problem. The next available flight with space is not until this Friday and he will be heading down to be with the rest of his family but he has already missed the funeral.
My husband said this afternoon that the most ironic thing is that drinking and driving laws are so strict here in Canada and yet it was a Canadian that killed Josefina. I hope people read this and realize that just because the drinking laws are relaxed in the DR and you can essentially drink and drive legally, there are devestating consequences and I hope all reading this remember that next time they drink in the DR and want to get behind the wheel of a vehicle. My trips to the DR will never be the same. We actually had already purchased tickets to spend Chirstmas and New Years in Montellano this year and for that reason we did not have the money for both my husband and I to both go on Friday. I am counting the days until December when I can hug each one of Josefina's children and help them get through this.
Josefina.... forever in my heart.