Sheyla Velarde
Crash Anniversary: July 2015
In the early morning of July 2015, a single knock on the door dramatically changed my family's life forever. A Pima County Sheriff's Deputy was there to let us know that our loved one, Sheyla Velarde, and her friends, Alexandra, Martin, and their unborn child, baby Izaac were taken from us by the impaired driver. Never in our wildest imagination could we have dreamed of the depths of the grief and despair that my family has faced in these last eight years since that time. Because of someone else's choice, we forever lost our beloved Sheyla. Sheyla was full of life. She was beautiful, she was energy. She was sassy, and she was so deeply loved. She was a granddaughter, daughter, she was a sister, she was a twin and most importantly she was the aunt of my two sons who loved her beyond words. We have spent the years navigating what was to be a new normal, but the new normal still has a missing piece, Sheyla! We have tried to come to terms with the reality that someone else's choice took away such a bright light not only to our family but to all those who loved and knew her. We know that so many families in our community are all desperately trying to navigate this same loss...the loss of their loved ones. Our family will continue to Walk like MADD, to fight to make sure our loved ones voice never goes silent, and that no more families have to come to know the pain of loss like so many already do!