WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) -- It's a call every family dreads, and one that Maria Viurquez answered early Thursday morning.

“I answered the phone and I was completely asleep," she said. "And (my friend) told me ... Lupita, Lupita. I was like 'what?' “your brother, your brother... He died.”

Eduardo Viurquez, or Eddi as everyone knew him, was one of two people killed in a car crash Christmas Eve morning in East Wichita. Wichita police are still investigating the cause of the crash but do believe speed played a factor.

Viurquez tells us her brother was not wearing a seat belt, which she believes could have saved his life. She urges everyone to wear one, even if you are going down the block.

Friends and family held a candlelight vigil for Eduardo Saturday night. The 26 year old leaves behind a wife and three children. Those kids were his everything according to his sister.

"The way, he was like, happy, joyful. That he cared about his kids, that he wanted the best for his kids," Viurquez said.


As for Eduardo's friends, they will always remember him as a light in their world; someone who would do anything, for anyone.


Pablo Hernandez, who worked with him, said that, “we would always see him smiling, messing around with us.”

"(Eddi) was a really good guy, always happy no matter what. Always positive,” said Lupita Ruiz, a family friend.

“He was the best person I ever met in the whole wide world" added Elmer Delgado. 

Viurquez has started a GoFundMe for Eddi's wife and kids. If you would like to support, you can find it here

You can find a GoFundMe for the other passenger who died, Boris Guzman-Mendoza here