Villanueva said he previously would accelerate when he saw a traffic light turn yellow but no longer does, and urged Bustillos to remember Carlos whenever he gets behind the wheel.
A Mother’s Forgiveness
More than a year after losing her oldest son, Gonzalez told the Post she still avoids routes that take her through the intersection where Carlos died. His younger siblings, ages 9 and 8, also continue to grieve.
Gonzalez said she relied on her faith in deciding to forgive Bustillos and continued to think of him as a young man devastated by what he had done.
Carlos had been waiting for the bus after walking a friend home when he was killed, according to the Post.
His mother remembered him as a driven Lakewood High School student who loved anime, sang Frank Sinatra songs and hoped to join the military after graduation. She said he had a “heart of gold” and was quick to comfort friends and help people in need.