Family prays for teen in serious condition after crash claims father, sister

A family is praying for a miracle. One of their loved ones is fighting for her life after two others were taken in a deadly crash.

The Galindo family held a candlelight vigil Friday, as family members were in shock but holding onto hope for 13-year-old Kiana Galindo who was critically injured in the crash that killed her father and sister in Hendry County.

“I cannot imagine losing her too,” mother Brenda Galindo said. “If I lose her, I don’t know what I would do. I don’t know if I will survive, man.”

Brenda lost her 14-year-old daughter, Aryana, and her husband, Enedino Galindo, 42, when a vehicle struck the family’s SUV, as Enedino was backing out of the driveway of a friend’s home on State Road 80.

Anastasia Galindo lost her father and sister in the crash and is praying for her other sister in the hospital.

“She was crying when she heard us talking,” Anastasia said. “She squeezed my mother’s hand.”

But Kiana is still fighting for her life.

“We don’t tell her what happened to her sister and dad,” Anastasia said. “We want to make sure she’s OK before she even gets to know any of that.”

At the vigil, close to 100 loved ones fought their own tears to focus on their favorite memories.

“She’s always smiling. She keeps you happy. She’s always telling me that she loves me,” Brenda said. “If he could give the last dollar to the last person, he would. He’s the best, man. He’s the best dad too.”

The family said Kiana had surgery, and she is recovering from a brain bleed. They will have another vigil Saturday in Immokalee, where Enedino Galindo grew up.

The Galindo family is unable to grieve while Kiana’s life is still in jeopardy.

“Please pray for my baby,” Brenda said. “I need her to come out good because, if I lose her, I don’t know what I would do.”