DENVER—A 30-year-old woman who died when a state legislator’s car veered into oncoming traffic in Texas grew up in southwestern Colorado, where friends and family called her death a crushing blow.
Brianna Michelle Gomez, of Amarillo, Texas, grew up in the mountain town of Ouray and moved to Dalhart, Texas, her senior year in high school to live with her father, friends and family told The Denver Post.
She was seven-months pregnant when an SUV driven by state Sen. Suzanne Williams, of Aurora, collided with one carrying Gomez, her husband and two daughters Sunday.
Gomez’ son, delivered by cesarean section, remained in critical condition. All the other people, including Williams’ 41-year-old son and his two sons, have been released from the hospital.
Williams has said she has no recollection of the crash, which remained under investigation.
“Blown away doesn’t begin to describe it. She was well loved,” Mary Stanko said of Gomez. “It’s a small community, and people are tight-knit.”
Stanko’s husband is the pastor of Ouray’s Calvary Assembly of God, which Gomez used to attend.
Gomez played volleyball and basketball in high school in Ouray, where the school district has only a few hundred children. She earned an undergraduate degree at Texas Tech University, where she later earned a master’s degree in counseling, said her grandmother, Patricia Lahr of Ouray.
Her granddaughter made it her mission to help children with autism, and began a home-based business a few years ago, Lahr said. She later moved her business to an office.
Lahr said Gomez’ son, 3-pound Curran Blaec Gomez, was delivered at Northwest Texas Healthcare Hospital in Amarillo.
“It looks like he is going to make it,” Lahr said. “He is so tiny.”
The Gomez family vacationed in Florida two weeks ago, Lahr said.
Eric Gomez, an assistant high school football coach, took photos of Brianna and her two daughters, Mali Elise Gomez, 6, and Eleri Kate Gomez, 4, swimming with dolphins and frolicking at Walt Disney World.
“The girls will have those pictures to treasure,” Lahr said.
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Information from: The Denver Post,
