SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – A family is mourning the loss of their 18-year-old son after a fatal accident near South Lake Tahoe on U.S. Highway 50 the weekend before Thanksgiving on Sunday, Nov. 23.

Sergio Gutiérrez García Jr. was killed and four others injured, including children, in a crash just east of Camp Sacramento.

“Sergio was not only a son, a brother, and a friend—he was a light in our lives, someone whose presence made every day a little warmer, a little brighter,” his family said.

His family remembers him as a hardworker who put others first and made people feel seen.

“Whether he was laughing with family, lending a hand without being asked, or offering a quiet moment of comfort,” his family said, “he carried a gentle strength that touched everyone around him.”

The financial burden of funeral expenses has become overwhelming for the family and asking for help through a GoFundMe.