A profound sense of grief swept through the Menifee community as many gathered by candlelight to honor the memory of three young softball players and their mother.
Olivia, 12, Emmalynn, 11, Gianna, 8, and their mother, Karly Perez, tragically lost their lives while returning home from a road trip.
“Sometimes you think you’ll get through it, and other times it feels like there’s a hole in your heart that you just can’t explain,” said their grandfather, Stephan Grande.
The girls’ grandparents shared that the overwhelming support from the community has been a source of comfort, helping them manage their grief.
“Knowing you have all this support really makes a difference,” Grande added.
The family was returning from Texas when they slowed down in a construction zone on an Arizona freeway. They were rear-ended by a truck hauling asphalt, causing the fatal accident.
“My sister was full of life and stronger than me,” said Perez’s brother.
The girls’ uncle recalled their lively personalities with fondness.
“I’ll always remember how Gianna liked to tell me she was smarter because she read and I didn’t,” he said. “I’ll miss Emmalynn’s art and dance moves she’d always show me, and Olivia’s TikToks every morning as she got ready for school. But most of all, I’ll miss their smiles and the way they made me feel so good about myself.”
The Perez family is raising funds to assist the girls’ father with the unexpected burial costs, with support already pouring in from the softball community.
“Their pictures will never come off the walls,” Grande said. “They’ll always be in our hearts.”