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CLEARFIELD -- The oldest of three boys orphaned by a tragic accident in Sunday's snowstorm says he and his brothers will be just fine. He does expect financial challenges, though, as his extended family tries to plan a new future for them.
"We have the whole funeral that we have to plan and pay for," said 16-year-old Ivan Elias of Clearfield. "I don't know how we're going to do that. I don't know if her insurance covers it."
His mother, Silvia de Jesus Ramirez, died in a crash Sunday afternoon on Interstate 15 in Riverdale. Her car spun out of control on a patch of ice and crashed into a pickup truck that had spun out earlier and stopped on the median.
Her death left the boys without parents. Their father, Yago Elias Orona, died of cancer earlier this year. Members of the extended family have already decided to bury Silvia Ramirez next to her husband's grave in Arizona so the orphaned boys will have to visit only one cemetery.
The boys use a version of their father's last name instead of their mother's. In addition to Ivan Elias, they are 14-year-old Javier Elias and 12-year-old Bryant Elias.
When she died, Silvia Ramirez was working as a home-care nurse. She told her family she was nervous about going out in the storm, but she left her boys and went out to help her clients anyway. Relatives say she had a strong commitment to her clients because she was a "highly compassionate" woman. She was also determined to support her boys financially.
"She was an amazing lady," said Linda Cline, who knew her through neighborhood church activities. "She, in my eyes, is a saint," Cline said.
Ramirez's relatives were already coping with the loss of her husband. "It's been a hard, a hard thing to do it all over again," said Ramirez's cousin, Veronica Rojas, one of several close relatives who live in Utah. "The family has come together, and helped," Rojas said.
When asked how she would answer people who worry the boys will be left on her own, Rojas said, "They're not left on their own. No. That won't happen."
His two younger brothers are "doing pretty good," Ivan said. "We have the same coping methods. We try to, like, pretend it's O.K. and just hide it all and try to forget about it, move on with our lives. You know, what happened, happened. We can't really do anything about it," he said.
The extended family is still working to settle some key decisions. "We're still brainstorming to what is the best place for them to be," Rojas said. "I think we'll be fine," Ivan said. "All of our family is pretty supportive."
Because Silvia was working when she died, family members are checking to see if there will be financial help from Workmen's Comp and other insurance. They do expect money to be a problem, prompting an appeal from Rojas to the public.
"Please, if you can contribute with anything for these boys, it would be really appreciated," she said.
Friends in their Clearfield community set up a *fund in Silvia Ramirez's name at America First Credit Union; you can go to any branch and contribute in the name of Silvia Ramirez.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Relatives are still trying to arrange travel to Utah from Canada and Mexico.
E-mail: hollenhorst@ksl.com
*ksl.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does ksl.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
