TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Gabriel Ayala mourns the loss of his son, Tomas, who was killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver.
Tomas, a talented 20-year-old aspiring chef, had his whole life ahead of him.
"He was going to become the man he was supposed to be until someone took his life," Gabriel said.
Gabriel urges against drinking and driving, emphasizing the need for change.
"It stole our son from us far too early. It's not fair."
Tomas spent most of his time at Hotel Congress.
"This is where his passion was, this is what he loved to do, Gabriel said. "He loved cooking."
Gabriel had breakfast with his son that morning and told him he supported him and wanted him to start a food truck.
The grieving father seeks to honor Tomas's memory through a potential foundation to aid other bereaved parents.
"I've been very fortunate to receive awards and accolades in my life for what I do. But there's no better award than the one he gave me one year. It's a plastic cup that says world's greatest dad."
This incident serves as a reminder of the all-too-common problem of drunk driving, leaving shattered families to pick up the pieces.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call 911.
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Heidi Alagha is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Heidi spent 5 years as the morning anchor in Waco where she was named the best anchor team by the Texas Associated Press. Share your story ideas and important issues with Heidi by emailing heidi.alagha@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
