SAN DIEGO — Abel Bermudez visited his daughter and mother in Mexico last Wednesday when tragedy struck. A wrong-way driver, who has since been charged with driving while intoxicated, collided with the 57-year-old’s minivan, resulting in his untimely death.
“He always helped everybody,” said his stepson Jorge Benitez. “Always gave the best advice. Natural born leader. He was just an amazing man.” Jorge, who Abel raised from the age of three, expressed his gratitude for the impact he had on his life. "I was blessed to be raised by him," he said, highlighting Abel's selflessness and caring nature.
Jorge will forever remember Abel as a blue-collar worker with a heart of gold. "Every time I spoke to him, I felt better,” he said. “Every time I had a problem, I'd go to him, and after that, I'd feel like all my worries would dissolve just by talking to him. He'd make me feel good."
The fatal crash occurred Wednesday morning on I-805, just a few exits from the Mexico border. According to police, the wrong-way driver attempted a U-turn to avoid entering Mexico but ended up heading northbound in the southbound lanes. Abel died at the scene.
Able was a devoted father but also a loving husband. He and Jorge's mother had been together for over 30 years. Their youngest child is just ten years old. "She still depended on him a lot," Jorge said.
Jorge's family has set up a GoFundMe to help his mother, a stay-at-home mom, raise his sister. Abel was always there for Jorge growing up and wanted to ensure his mom was there for his sister. "He introduced me to everybody as his son, and people would trip out because I looked a lot different than him. I'm 6'4", and he's short. And they're like; he's your son? And he'd say, ya, that's my son," Jorge said with a smile.
It's been a week since the accident, and the shock hasn't faded. Jorge is still hoping his dad isn't gone. "I just feel like he's going to drive up at any minute. I keep looking out the driveway, and I'm just really going to miss him," he said.
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