TAMPA, Fla. — A Cuban man who risked his life to get to America on a boat survives the trek only to get killed just eight months later in a fiery crash on the Howard Frankland Bridge.
The Florida Highway Patrol says the crash was caused by a driver under the influence early Sunday morning. The northbound lanes were shut down for hours.
"Someone with no conscious came and killed him," Maria Dolores Durán said from her home in Cuba in an exclusive interview with 10 Tampa Bay's Angelina Salcedo.
Maria is the mother of Oscar Luis Tasse Durán. She says the 32-year-old always wanted to go to the U.S. for the "American dream" and a way to support his family on the island.
"Oscar was a goal-oriented guy with dreams. He always dreamed of creating a better future for his mother and brother. He was in the U.S. because of that," said Oscar's best friend, Erik Moya Fiallo.
May 2022 was when his week-long trek from Cuba ended in Golden Beach, Florida. The boat Oscar and five other migrants were in capsized.
Soon after, he was released to his family in Broward County. From there he made his way to Tampa.
"We thanked God for his safe arrival and all of the friends and family who took care of him and helped him," Durán said. "He was so happy. He was working and helping us. I didn't care about the help, I cared about his life."
Maria never would've imagined he'd be taken eight months later. He was the center of his family and friends. His dreams and vivacious life were cut short.
"I found out first from posts on social media. Then I learned, the driver, he was with was in the hospital. He told me my brother was dead," said Oscar's brother, Edgar Ernesto Matos Durán.
He's still trying to cope with the loss of his older brother.
Troopers say Oscar was a passenger in a car that was hit by a twice-convicted drunk driver Sunday morning. Their car burst into flames.
"We still can't believe it. It's a pain that you can't describe and so many people are feeling it. Because we're far away, sometimes we still feel like he's alive and he's there," Matos Durán said.
FHP troopers arrested 29-year-old Alexander Hoffman after the crash. His charges include DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
Oscar's family wishes stronger measures were taken to stop Hoffman from being a danger on the roads.
While they make plans to get his body back to Cuba, Oscar, who fought to give his family the world, will be missed but never forgotten. They are also raising money to support the family and pay for his funeral. If you'd like to help you can here.
"We're going to put his ashes in a river, that's what he always wanted," Matos Durán said. "We're going to miss him a lot, always."