HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — The family of the man killed in an early Thanksgiving morning crash held a vigil Sunday night to honor his life and legacy.
The crash happened just after midnight Thursday morning along Spencer Road near North Eldridge Parkway in northwest Harris County. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said a man driving swerved to avoid hitting a dog, lost control and hit a light pole. He died at the scene.
Loved ones have identified the man to KHOU 11 News as 27-year-old JoeRamon Janas, affectionally called “Raymond” by those closest to him.
Raymond’s parents told KHOU 11 News that the crash happened only about ten minutes away from their home, adding that Raymond was heading there for the holiday.
“We’re going to start preparing Thanksgiving dinner, so we started that, woke up the next day with four police officers inside my living room, to tell me the bad news,” Raymond’s father Edward Bautista said.
Bautista said Raymond was a certified electrician who was finishing up his master’s degree. But he said even more impressive than his son’s intelligence was his commitment to his family.
“You’re talking about somebody who was there for you when you needed it, no matter what it was,” Bautista said.
Raymond’s mother, Misty Janas, echoed that sentiment, saying Raymond would do anything to help others.
“Helpful, loving, caring, supportive, dependable. Anybody called him and asked for help, he was there,” Janas said.
Through tears, Janas said she and the rest of the family are still coming to terms with what happened. She had a close bond with Raymond, the middle child of her seven children. She said it's heartbreaking that Raymond is no longer with her.
“This is not supposed to happen to moms, and it’s not supposed to happen this way. Moms don’t bury their babies. Moms don’t bury their babies,” Janas said.
On Sunday night, loved ones brought a cross and a poster with pictures of Raymond to place at the crash site, where the broken pole and vehicle pieces remain. The family is now trying to make funeral arrangements, a process that started on Thanksgiving Day.
“It’s the worst news to hear on a holiday. You know, instead of preparing to celebrate with your family, we all got together to talk about funeral homes,” Raymond’s aunt Maria Karnezis said.
Karnezis said Raymond was a sweet boy who grew up to be a compassionate man. She described him as a life-long animal lover – something that held true until the very end of his life.
“To swerve to avoid hitting a dog, that tells you what type of person Raymond was,” Karnezis said.
The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral expenses. They are asking for the community’s support as they deal with this terrible tragedy.