KERMAN, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – Reade and Sons Funeral Home is helping collect funds for a young farm laborer who passed away in the San Joaquin River near Skaggs Bridge in Madera County.
Irene Reade, Co-owner of Reade and Sons Funeral Home says her family’s business has always supported farm laborers, even the company business card reads, la funeraria del campesino , the farm laborer’s funeral home.
She says when she heard Ricardo Perez-Diaz’s story from Ricardo’s friend and co-worker Roberto Perez-Diaz, she was moved and decided to help.
“Roberto called me, said that he had a young man,” Reade said. “24 years old, and that he hadn’t been here a long time.”
In fact, Ricardo had only been in the country for eight months before he passed at just 24 years old.
“He’s gone at 24, never get married. Probably never have a wife, or children. It’s sad. It really is sad,” Reade said.
Roberto says he was asked by Ricardo’s family in Chiapas, Mexico to help them bury Ricardo by sending his body to them.