It is the kind of quiet that feels incredibly heavy. Walk down the 100 block of Allen Road today, and you can instantly feel the weight of a family completely shattered. A simple, normal Monday afternoon turned into every parent’s absolute worst nightmare in a matter of seconds. Now, a local family is left trying to figure out how to breathe again after losing their little boy.
Little Wilson Matias Jr. was only 18 months old, full of life and always ready to run around. But on July 6, everything changed in a flash when he wandered outside his home. He was accidentally struck by the family’s large SUV right there in the driveway, turning a regular summer day into an unbearable tragedy.
If you look closely at the driveway, the signs of a happy childhood cut short are everywhere. A pair of tiny, lilac-colored Crocs still sits right where the little guy left them. Just a few feet away, attached to the mailbox, a bright red sign with white letters carries a haunting reminder for everyone passing by: “Drive like your kids live here.”
The heartbreak is so thick you can practically touch it. Neighbors who used to see the toddler playing outside are completely stuck in shock, holding back tears as they look at the empty yard. West Park Mayor Felicia M. Brunson even stopped by the house to lift up the family, stating that the entire city cares deeply and shares in this awful loss.
Inside the home, the silence is totally deafening. The boy’s mother, Ericka Cante Hernandez, is so crushed by grief that she cannot even bring herself to speak a single word to anyone right now. Her daughter, Ashly Cante, had to step up to talk to local reporters, simply saying she had no words because her little brother was just such a good kid.
With the family completely paralyzed by their emotions, close friends are stepping up to handle the real-world logistical nightmare. A loved one named Joselyn Gomez quickly set up an online fundraiser titled “Ayuda para funeral y memorial de nuestro angelito.” The goal is simple: help the grieving parents, Ericka and Wilson Mathias, cover the sudden, overwhelming costs of laying their baby boy to rest.
People from all over are answering the call, pouring in donations to make sure the family does not have to worry about money while their hearts are breaking. Little Wilson would have celebrated his second birthday this coming December. Instead, an entire community is left mourning a beautiful little angel whose life was taken far too soon.
