Church helping assist drowning victim’s family

MARYSVILLE – The manager of an Everett restaurant was so touched by news of the drowning of a 17-year-old boy at Twin Lakes that he donated money to buy school supplies for the victim’s siblings.

Jose Perez died Aug. 12 after he stepped off a steep drop-off at the lake near Arlington. He had arrived from Mexico just the day before to join his father, Jaime.

In a story in Wednesday’s Herald, Jaime Perez said he moved to Marysville four months ago so he could earn enough money to buy school uniforms and supplies for his other three children, ages 11 to 15. The children live in the tiny Mexican village of Santa Rita Tlahuapan.

An Everett woman read the story and called the Azteca Mexican restaurant on Everett Mall Way asking if someone would be willing to donate money. Restaurant manager Julian Robles gave $50.

“I feel very bad for the father and the whole family,” Robles said. “It was a sad story. I wanted to do what I could to support them.”

Robles said the woman “sounded like she really cared for the kids.”

The woman then bought school supplies and backpacks, and delivered them to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Marysville.

The woman wished to remain anonymous, said Clarene Schadee, administrative assistant for the church’s parish office. The church will send donations to the Perez home in Mexico.

Familias Unidas, an Everett Latino resource center, also plans to collect school supplies for the family, said the group’s program coordinator, Elizabeth Ramirez.

Perez returned to Santa Rita Tlahuapan on Thursday with his son’s body for a funeral in the village cemetery, which was scheduled for Saturday. St. Mary’s, along with family and friends of Perez, raised the money to return the body to Mexico.

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