MIDVALE, Utah — The family of Elijah Bustamante-Martínez said it’s hard to count the number of hearts he touched in just 16 years of life.
Whether it was dancing in the store or having a heart-to-heart, Destiny Tovey said her brother never failed to put a smile on her face.
“He was a man of faith, a man of love, and a man of motivation,” Tovey said.
Elijah died in a crash in Midvale on Saturday when he swerved his car to avoid another vehicle.
Through photos, videos, and posts on social media, his family is going through all their greatest memories.
“He wasn’t just my brother, but he was like a light in this world,” Tovey said. “What I mean by that is that he just had this special ability to just see people for who they are and to motivate them and uplift them. He would help them face their challenges with hope.”
Elijah wasn’t your typical 16-year-old. Tovey said he spoke at writing conferences, served on Midvale’s Youth Council, and was going to be an AP Camp leader for the church.
She said they’ve heard from several people from all different communities. They are all sharing their stories about Eli, and what he meant to them.
Even though he had a long list of accomplishments, Tovey said her brother’s focus was on helping others.
“If there was ever anybody sitting alone, he would grab them, but he wanted to motivate others, love them, and he always said: 'Whatever you’re going through, don’t think of fear, don’t think of sadness, think positive and always think of love.'”
Women from the family's church left dozens of hearts all over their house. The paper hearts had words of kindness and encouragement for the family.
“It just doesn’t seem real that he’s gone. He is gone too soon.” Tovey said, “Aside of that, when I think about him, he doesn’t even seem like a real kid. He seemed like an angel walking this earth.”
The family has started a verified GoFundMe to help pay for funeral and memorial expenses.
