“Hector was my god-brother. My dad was his godfather, and he was just like an older brother to me. In the Mexican culture, our culture, Godparents have a great role in our lives. They are our second parents.
“Hector passed away in July 2019. He was 22 and was driving a Corvette and he sped up too fast and lost control right where the Descanso sits today. When a loved one passes in an accident, we make a Descanso. My Dad works with stone and he wanted to make something special. The cross is of cement and super-delicate marble with a grey design.
“My younger brother had a little red corvette and he wanted to put it on top of the Descanso, and It’s there facing the road. A lot of Hector’s friends go and put things that he loved there, like flowers, a favorite type of beer. And his friends might have a beer with him there. On the anniversary we have a tradition where we add things that the person really loved.”
“His mom goes every week. She has put his ashes at a funeral home in Santa Fe, where he was born and raised. But the energy is different at the Descanso. The family visits the ashes and the Descanso equally, but the Descanso is more meaningful because it was hand-made by Hector’s godfather. It’s more intimate. More personal than the funeral home.
“In general, seeing a Descanso makes me curious as to what the person’s life was like. There might be a cowboy hat, or a Christmas tree. I wonder about the meaning. And it’s a bit sad because I know what it means to lose someone on the road.
“Still, it is heartwarming, too, because they are being remembered and visited frequently. Sometimes passing cars honk and wave, or even stop. The energy is just crazy. It’s super important to my culture to keep the memories of our loved ones alive.”
–Hector’s Cousin Daisy