A father finds strength after his son's death, seeing what his son's friends have done.
"As he left it feels like the whole family died," said Leonardo Benavides, the father of 17-year-old Daniel Benavides who was hit and killed crossing the road near Mojave High School last year.
"I'm not an emotional person, but Daniel was my life he was my best friend," said Leonardo Benavides.
Thursday, the pain was eased just a little bit.
Cadets at Mojave High School have put in hundreds of hours at Three Square, making meals for the hungry. On top of that, they handed over two checks for $2,000 each, one for Three Square and the other for Veterans Village. The money comes from USAA Savings Bank and the Public Education Foundation. All of this was done in Daniel's name.
"Bringing us closer as you say because this has definitely brought me and my cadets closer," said Makoa Ortega, a senior at Mojave High School.
"These are the only people I feel like care about my son besides my two boys and my wife," said Leonardo Benavides.
This was such a painful thing that happened, and they're trying to make something good out of it.
"I think this is one of those moments where I wouldn't say it would break him, but I think he'd shed a tear or two in joy knowing this is in his name," said Ortega.
After the fatal accident at Commerce Street and La Madre Way, Leonardo Benavides says the legal case isn't making much progress. Seeing Thursday's ceremony helps him keep going.
