'Our hearts are broken': Motorcyclist who died month after crash remembered as loving father, friend
David Garcia was on his way to take an exam at Long Beach City College on June 4 when he was seriously injured in a crash on Carson Street, according to authorities.
June 4 was supposed to be a momentous day for David Garcia and his family.
It was his daughter's middle school graduation, but the 41-year-old Downey resident was on his way to Long Beach City College to take an exam that would continue to propel him onto a new career in the medical field after 14 years in finance.
After his exam, he was supposed to meet with his family for dinner to celebrate. But he never showed, his family recalled.
Police say Garcia was traveling westbound on Carson Street just after 6 p.m. when he switched lanes and collided with the driver of a car making a left from Ostrom Avenue.
He was hospitalized for just over a month at Long Beach Memorial Hospital and seemed to be making monumental leaps toward recovery, his family says, when he suddenly died on July 9 as a result of the lasting injuries from the crash, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office.
"David's rapid recovery from the accident was nothing short of a miracle, defying all odds and expectations; even getting ready for discharge," his wife Bricia Garcia said. "We were excited for his next step in recovery and leaving the hospital.
"Our hearts are broken."
Garcia was born Nov. 15, 1982 in Compton but grew up in the Bell Gardens area, according to his wife. He had a younger sister and a lot of cousins to play with, she said.
He was a friendly person with a love for music, Bricia recalled, adding that she met him one day at a locale in the city where people would often show up to watch bands play.
When Garcia and Bricia eventually married, he became a stepfather to her daughter and they eventually had another daughter.
He was a devoted husband, a wonderful "girl dad and grandfather, and even better friend to everyone in the many communities he was a part of," Bricia said.
"He had so many friends we can't even count," Bricia added. "He was a jack of all trades and had his heart in so many things."
Bricia recalls her husband as a big Pittsburgh Steelers fan who'd only ever lose his "mellow" demeanor during game days. He'd host cookouts at their home, joined a huge homebrewing community where he had the opportunity to be on a magazine cover, and loved fishing. He had also wanted to be a doctor since he has a little kid.
She remembers her husband as a selfless man who was willing to help whoever needed it without ever asking for anything in return.
"This gentle lovable, humble man was ripped from us too soon," Bricia said. "We miss our David.
"We are still in disbelief."
Garcia's family started a GoFundMe to help mitigate costs while he was hospitalized and it continues in the aftermath of his death. It has raised $25,205 raised out of the $65,000 goal as of Wednesday afternoon.
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