After surviving a crash that took the life of both her husband and sixteen-year-old son, Vancouver resident Stacie Pierce-Torres has relied on the kindness of family, friends and total strangers to get back on her feet. She is not able to walk on her own after a substantial break to one of her feet.
The accident left her in a wheelchair and her surviving son with casts on both arms. As the pair deals with the emotional scars, the bills have also started to pile up. A group of strangers stepped forward to bring both joy to the family and much-needed funds to aid in the medical bills.
A car club called the Challenger Demons set up a car show and breakfast fundraiser in their honor. On a recent early Saturday morning, members of the car club started to gather in the parking lot of Hooligan’s Bar and Grill.
Photo credit: April Horning
There were muscle cars as far as the eye could see. There were also some classic cars sprinkled in with their takes on hot rods. From the 1940 Oldsmobile called the “Black Bomb” to brand new muscle cars, there was so much to see that morning.
While the cars may have been the focus as they rolled in, the star of the show was young Lincoln Torres. He was shuttled from driver’s seat to driver’s seat as each owner welcomed him to explore their cars. Even though both of his arms are still in casts from the accident, this did not slow him down a bit as he enjoyed every vehicle.
The car club partnered with Hooligan’s to put on the car show. The bar donated all of the food for a full breakfast buffet to help raise funds for the medical bills of both Stacie and Lincoln. Those funds join money being raised via a GoFundMe account to pay for the funeral costs for Nacho and Justice Torres.
Photo credit: Challenger Demon’s Facebook
Efforts of both the Challenger Demons and Hooligan’s brought in about $1500. Beyond the money raised, the event also brought out a fantastic show of support for both the immediate family and friends of those who died in the accident.
Ignacio “Nacho” Torres and Justice Torres died on August 23, 2018, after the car the family was traveling in was hit head-on. They were on their way to the Oregon Coast as an end of the summer trip. A driver going 100 miles per hour crossed the center line and hit the family car.
As one can imagine, the aftermath for the family has been substantial. The local community has come forward to start to support the family getting back on their feet after the loss of the father. At a recent Celebration of Life, there were hundred’s of people paying tribute to the family.
Both surviving family members have a long road ahead of them as they physically heal. Stacie was very proud to no longer be in a wheelchair at the car show; she is now using a scooter. She shared her appreciation for all the well wishes and support from everyone.
The car show was a fitting tribute to Nacho since he loved cars. From owning his muscle car back in the late 1990s to attending events like the one put on for his family, he was always a fan of the Mustang. As much as young Lincoln was smiling during the event, it appears he too appreciates a great muscle car.
As he looked at the cars, Lincoln shared with family that he is already saving for his classic car. At 12 years old he has a few years to go before he is in the market. The car club members made him feel like the King of the Road that morning.
While none of the Torres family will ever forget the horrible accident or the loss of their loved ones, the help of the community is making a recovery all the easier. Beyond the car show, friends of the family have held a variety of sales to help pay medical bills. Stacie’s family has also stepped in to help with the physical care of both Stacie and Lincoln as they wait to both of their casts to come off.
