Family & friends mourn loss of two local parents and school teachers
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Monday family, friends and neighbors are mourning the loss of Mary Jane and Adolfo Corral.
Lou Lazarine is a neighbor in the Mountain View Ranch neighborhood. He said, “It’s such a tragedy. It’s so sad.” While fellow neighbor Leah Cervantes added, “Heartbreaking. I feel for the families. Not only the kids but the rest of their family. It’s hard to lose someone tragically.”
Sheriff deputies said the Corrals were walking Sunday evening when a drunk driver went off the road and continued for about 100 yards along a bike path where the Corrals were walking, killing them.
"You don’t expect a car to come veering off the road and hit you when you’re not even in the path of travel," said Lazarine. "You know you’re off the road and away from the traffic. It’s unsettling.”
Neighbors came with signs, flowers and candles to the spot where the couple was hit and killed.
“We took these flowers from our garden and thought we’d bring them,” said Cervantes while holding her two daughters.
Mary Jane and Adoflo leave behind 4 children ranging from 10 to 20 years old.
“And now they’re without parents. It’s a tragedy for the family. It’s a tragedy for the kids, for the community in general. It just a very sad thing,” said Lazarine.
Both parents worked for local schools. Mary Jane worked for Goleta Union School District, while Adolfo was employed at Santa Barbara City College.
In a statement today the SBCC president, Dr. Utpal Goswami, said in part:
“We are devastated to learn this morning that it involved our own Adolfo Corral and his wife, Mary Jane. Tragically they did not survive. For now, I am deeply sorry for the pain Adolfo and Mary Jane’s loss will hold for us.”
For neighbor Cervantes, Sunday’s crash is a reminder that life is precious. “Anything can happen at any second. I think this is definitely a reminder to everyone to don’t take life for granted. Live in the moment. Like I said, be kind to one another.”
SBCC officials said they plan to have grief counseling for their students and faculty. And will let News Channel 3 know when and where they will be offered.
To donate to the Corral family GoFundMe, click here.
The Santa Barbara Response Network is available to help at SBCC, Dos Pueblos High School and at the vigils. If you need help, you can call them 24/7 at (805) 699-5608.
