JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Friends and family of a man who was killed in a crash last week on Jacksonville’s Westside came together to celebrate his life.
Yoel Lopez, a beloved barber and father, was killed in a crash on June 11 near the intersection of Blanding Boulevard and Park Street.
News4JAX was invited to attend a celebration of life where friends and family shared their memories.
“Yoel wasn’t just a barber in our shop, he was a brother, he was a friend, partner in crime, a cheerful soul and always had a smile for anyone,” Iliagne Rodriguez said.
Family members and friends of Lopez said he had siblings, a wife and a 15-year-old daughter. His parents lived in Cuba.
“Yoel was just trying to live the American dream. He went to school during the day to try and become a dentist, and at night to make ends meet, he would come here and work part-time as a barber, just bought his first home, been married for about a year, and this was just something completely unexpected,” Angel said.
Lopez’s brother, Yunior Lopez, said this was the hardest thing he’s ever had to deal with.
“He came here and kept fighting, to start new, he had the will to do it. He went to school during the day, worked here at the barber shop by night with the guys. This is just a testament to how much everyone loved him. I also saw him leave. It was the worst thing I’ve ever had to witness,” Lopez said.
While they mourn the loss of someone who had such an impact on this community, they said the sudden loss reminds them that life is precious. They hope to live by his example.
“His chair might be empty, but his presence will be felt in every corner of the shop, in each cut in every story that we shared with him, no one leaves when they left a mark on our hearts and Yoel left a mark on ours,” Rodriguez said.
The family created a GoFundMe to help with the funeral costs.