Community in mourning after death of beloved activist

A community is torn at the death of one of its own. A woman on a riding lawnmower was hit and killed by a driver who lost control.

Florida Highway Patrol said a driver lost control of their car on Ave Maria Boulevard Monday afternoon. The vehicle jumped the curb, hit a tree and the lawn mower Antonia Rios Hernandez was riding.

FHP said she died on the scene.

Some of the people who loved Hernandez said the community is feeling the impact of her loss.

Hernandez was involved in the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and also Cultivate Abundance, a local non-profit addressing food insecurity.

Hernandez also spoke out against sexual violence in the fields.

Hernandez’s friends said she was the type of person who always encouraged others. Now, her memory will encourage them to do good in her absence.

“She was a very humble person,” said Nelly Rodriquez, a friend of Hernandez. “She was a person who worked to support her daughters and her family. She was very excited that her daughter was in college to get ahead.”

A small bouquet of flowers now rests on the ground where the crash happened.

“The loss of Antonio Rios is not just affecting us as an organization but as a community and a friend,” said Lupita Vasquez, a friend of Hernandez. “She was someone who had a lot of consciousness and was very impactful in a lot of things. She was someone that could easily just befriend anyone.”

Hernandez’s friends described her as a kind, conscientious, loyal friend to all and her community.

FHP said the crash remains under investigation.