Service, relief fund set for 14 killed in van

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CARIBOU – A memorial service and a relief fund have been arranged to honor the 14 men who died last week when the van they were in went off a bridge deep in the North Woods.

The men, as well as a 15th worker who survived the crash, were from Central America, and their families have been trying to learn more about what happened, Carla Picard of Caribou said Sunday.

Twelve of the men rented a dormitory apartment from Picard’s father, Sonny Tracy, and the relationship went far beyond that of landlord-tenant.

“We loved them very much,” Picard said of the men, some of whom had returned over several years to work in the woods and rent the rooms from her father.

“I have [received] calls from several of the family members wondering how to get their loved ones’ bodies back,” she said. “These people are in limbo and completely distraught.”

Organizers met during the weekend to come up with plans for a memorial service in honor of the 14. The service will be held Friday in Caribou.

At the same time, a relief fund has been established through Peoples Bank in Caribou for the families of all 15 of the men from Guatemala and Honduras, who lived in Caribou while working as subcontractors for Seven Islands Land Co., cutting brush and thinning trees.

“We will divide up whatever donations the fund receives between the 15 families, including the survivor,” Picard said.

Picard already has received phone calls from people as far away as New Jersey who have read accounts of the tragedy and want to give money.

The men died Thursday after their 15-passenger van apparently blew a back tire and skidded off John’s Bridge in the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. The van plunged 20 feet into the Allagash River, landing upside down in 15 feet of water.

Edilberto Morales-Luis, 24, of Guatemala was able to escape and flagged down the driver of a passing logging truck for assistance.

The 14 other men in the van, including three of Luis’ cousins and an uncle, died at the scene. The accident remains under investigation.

According to Tracy, the men were Dionisio Funez Dias, Sebastian Garcia, Jose Santos, Euceda Alexi H. Alcantara, Pablo Euceda Amaya, Juan Mundez, Sebastian Morles, Cecillo Morales, Juan Turuso, Delkin Paddia, Carlito Izaguirri, Jose S. Alvarado, Alcidez Chavez and Alberto Sales.

On Sunday, Picard said she did not know where Morales-Luis went after he participated in a news conference in Augusta on Friday.

“His family has been calling me from Guatemala and trying to get hold of him,” she said. “They would really like to know where he is.”

Picard said money collected through the relief effort likely won’t begin to cover the costs associated with transporting the bodies back to Central America.

“But every little bit will help,” she said. “The families can use this money however they see fit. These are very, very poor people and even the task of getting the bodies home will be difficult.

“We will divide the cards out, and when the family members come to claim the belongings, we will give them the cards,” she said. “These men were part of our community and we want to be very considerate of their family members.”

A big part of that consideration will be Friday’s memorial service.

The Rev. John Ross, pastor of United Baptist Church in Caribou, will lead the service at a time to be set.

“There needs to be a sense of healing and a sense of closure, as difficult as that may be,” Ross said Sunday afternoon. “We here in northern Maine have been deeply affected by this, as have been the family members in Honduras and Guatemala.”

One of the men, Carlito Izaguirri, six months ago married a member of Ross’ congregation. The pastor officiated at that ceremony and had been working with Izaguirri on immigration issues.

“There is nothing really rational about this,” Ross said. “But we do know God is able to comfort and give strength and hope that allows us to realize life is a precious gift not to be taken for granted.”

Picard said she will be a long time coming to grips with the loss.

“You just sit back and try to fathom 14 being taken all at one time,” she said. “It’s really very difficult.”

Like Ross, Picard wants people to remember the 14 men she said were hard workers and a joy to be around.

“One lady called me from New Jersey after reading about the accident in a paper there,” she said. “She told me we have to get the word out in as many papers as possible because people will only remember this tragedy until the next tragedy comes along.”

Donations may be sent to Migrant Relief Fund c/o Peoples Bank, P.O. Box 607 Caribou 04736. In addition, cards or messages of condolence to the families may be sent c/o Carla Picard, 322 Sweden St., Caribou 04736.